Your Positivity Effect

“Superstitions are silly.”

That’s what an old golf teammate at the University of Maryland used to tell me. But I didn’t listen. Because I knew they mattered for one big reason: they provided belief. They had a positive effect on my mind, which translated to my game.

And it’s not just athletes. Did you know Charles Dickens used to carry a compass so he could always sleep facing north? He believed aligning with Earth’s electrical currents fueled his creativity. Dr. Seuss had a bookcase with a false door hiding hundreds of unusual hats. Each day, he and his editor would pick one and stare at each other until inspiration hit.

Whether those rituals were “true” or not didn’t matter. They had a positive effect, which made them worthwhile.

Here’s the hard truth: life is challenging, which makes it difficult to maintain an optimistic outlook.

That’s why even if you’re not a superstitious person, it might be worth adopting a ritual, habit, or symbol if for no other reason than the outside chance it gives you a positive effect.

Think of it like a trampoline. During COVID, we bought the kids a spring-free trampoline. Every day, they begged me to go outside and jump with them for one reason: I had enough weight to create the double bounce. That second bounce would launch them higher than they could ever jump on their own.

That’s what a positive effect does in life. It gives you the double bounce. It lifts you higher than you could get by yourself.

So find your ritual or superstition. Create your positive effect and use it to increase your belief that a better outcome is right around the corner.

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