Pygmalion Effect

Your Belief Can Change YOUR Team

There’s a concept in psychology called the Pygmalion Effect, and once I understood it, it completely changed the way I looked at leadership and being a great teammate.

The idea is simple:

People rise to the expectations placed on them.

When someone believes in you, supports you, and expects you to show up with confidence and effort—you naturally start becoming that version of yourself.

And the same is true for teams.

If a team expects greatness from each other, they elevate.

If a team expects the bare minimum, they settle.

Why This Matters for Us as Athletes

Every team has talent.

But the teams that win—the teams that grow—are the ones where the players believe in each other just as much as they believe in themselves.

When your teammates know you trust them…

when you hype them up…

when you challenge them to be better…

when you expect more from them because you know what they’re capable of…

Everything changes.

Confidence goes up.

Communication improves.

People work harder.

The team gets tighter.

And most importantly—

everyone feels like they matter.

That’s what the Pygmalion Effect looks like in sports.

How You Can Use It Right Now

(Yes, even before season starts.)

1. Speak belief, not doubt.

Your words carry weight.

• “You’ve been killing it lately.”

• “I trust you.”

• “You’re going to be huge for us this year.”

Those small moments build confidence that lasts.

2. Set real expectations for each other.

Not perfection.

Not pressure.

Standards.

Expect effort.

Expect communication.

Expect leadership.

Expect commitment.

When expectations rise, performance rises with them.

3. Be the one who shows up consistently.

In the offseason, this matters even more.

Message a teammate to train.

Watch film.

Share a workout.

Check in on them.

Small actions build a culture.

4. Let your teammates borrow your confidence.

Sometimes people don’t see how good they are until someone else reflects it back.

Be that reflection.

5. Lead by example.

Your habits become contagious - good or bad.

So choose the ones that lift the room.

Final Thought

The Pygmalion Effect is a reminder that belief is one of the strongest tools we have as athletes.

People rise when they know someone believes in them.

And teams rise when that belief is shared by everyone.

So don’t wait for the season to start.

Build that belief now -

in yourself, in your teammates, and in what your team can become.

Because the truth is: belief is the starting point of every championship culture.

With you always,
– Sofia 💫

Go Bulls!