A forecast which, by the very fact that it is stated, has the effect of bringing about what it claims and thereby making it more “true” than it would have been without publication. The implicit self-reference includes the acts of individuals who believe in the truth of the prophesy and are capable of either influencing or interpreting the course of events in the prophecy’s domain. The self-referential loop is rarely cognised by the believer. Besides many religious examples, such as miraculous healings, many phenomena, such as ethnic prejudices, teacher’s evaluation of student’s capabilities, etc. are largely self-fulfilling in this sense.

I was thinking about this because the following occurred to me: “an advance perception of an unsatisfactory result impedes progress by way of procrastination and inactivity, which in turn increases (or makes inevitable) the likelihood of an unsatisfactory result.”

Sound familiar anyone? Come on… all you people who’ve got something to do! Do it! Or… Begin and continue as someone I know is fond of telling me…