You Are What You Believe You Are.

Or Are You.

We’ve all heard the saying, “You are what you believe you are,” a statement that captures the essence of positive thinking. In an age dominated by an emphasis on mental resilience, this phrase has become a guiding mantra for many. But is it true? How can believing in your abilities shape your outcomes?

The Power of a Growth Mindset

Research into the growth mindset reveals a compelling case for the idea that belief plays a significant role in shaping outcomes. A growth mindset, as coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, is the belief that abilities and intelligence can grow through dedication and effort, rather than being fixed or reduced to in-born talent. A meta-study shows that individuals with a growth mindset are more likely to embrace challenges , persist through difficulties, and ultimately achieve more.

In educational settings, students who believe that intelligence is malleable and can be cultivated are more likely to engage deeply with learning, even when faced with failure. Growth mindset interventions have improved academic performance, particularly among disadvantaged students. The effect is strongest, when peers are also supportive of a growth mindset, see David Yeager Angela Duckworth et al.

A growth mindset definitely helps you achieve to be what you believe.

Affirmations: Boosting Self-Worth, Mostly

Affirmations—positive statements repeated to oneself—can also shape outcomes, but their effectiveness is more nuanced. Self-affirmations have been shown by J. David Creswell and Janine M. Dutcher, PhD to reduce stress and improve problem-solving abilities under pressure, with studies indicating that affirming one’s core values helps buffer against negative emotions. Participants who practiced self-affirmation performed better on problem-solving tasks under stress, demonstrating increased cognitive flexibility.

However, affirmations don’t work equally well for everyone . For individuals with low self-esteem, repeating positive statements can feel inauthentic, even increasing self-doubt. When a person’s internal reality clashes with the external affirmation, it can create cognitive dissonance, leading to negative emotional responses rather than positive growth, as Elaine Perunovic et al. showed.

Bottom line, if you have a base of self-esteem, positive affirmations improve upon your self-belief.

Visualization: The Mental Gym for Performance

Another tool that supports the idea of belief shaping reality is visualization, a technique used in sports, therapy, and general performance enhancement. Mental imagery, or the act of visualizing success, has been shown to improve motor skills, boost confidence, and reduce anxiety. Athletes, for example, often visualize executing a race or performance successfully, and this practice enhances their ability to perform in reality.

I can confirm this experience as a former competitive pianist. The concerts that I 'visualized' in detail before the performance were so much better.

Research by Emily Holmes et al. has shown that visualization works by activating the same neural pathways as physical practice, making it a powerful mental exercise. In cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), visualization is used to help individuals manage anxiety by imagining positive outcomes or reframing negative thoughts. The brain's ability to simulate experience through visualization supports the idea that believing in a successful outcome can actually bring about that success.

When Belief Meets Reality

While there’s ample evidence that belief in one’s abilities—whether through a growth mindset, affirmations, or visualization—can drive success, it’s important to acknowledge that belief alone may not be enough. Context matters. Affirmations, for example, need to resonate with your internal state. And growth mindset interventions work even better when your peers are also accepting of the message.

In conclusion, your beliefs can make you. It helps if your peers, environment and original attitude are all supportive. You may want to choose them with this fact in mind.

Yours sincerely,

Rebekka