Good Wishes

The Science and Psychology of Wishing
by Marvin Double


Just for starters let me declare myself. I'm a pretty practical kind of guy. I like science and the scientific approach to sorting things out. There's an elegant logic in the application of reason to problems. However most of us, me included still hold to a belief that there are forces at work in the universe that can't be explained by science or logic.
Take wishing as one simple example. Wishing is perhaps one of the most common irrational acts we do. It is a universal human behavior that cross cultures, ages sexes and beliefs. Wishing comes in different forms and take on different aspects but, not matter how it's done or why, wishing is something of a magical exercise.

Magical? Absolutely, wishing is based in part on a belief, either conscious or subconscious that we have the power to change our reality by the mere act of holding a strong desire or projecting our hopes and thoughts into the ether, just in case somehow we'll get what we wish for.

This is called magical thinking because it holds to the idea that we as individuals command certain supernatural powers.

Rhyme and Reason
Wishing doesn't seem at all logical or rational but in fact there is something entirely logical and practical about it which isn't the least bit magical.

In point of fact wishes do have a very practical value that has nothing to do with the supernatural. Here's a simple example. If you wish someone a good morning, if that wish is a genuine , honest and heart felt it makes both the wisher and recipient feel good. It is an affirmation that you wish the other person to feel good. It also affirms that you have a positive frame of mind. When such a wish is returned in kind it offers positive feedback to confirms that things are OK. In other words wishing in this way is means of offering and receiving positive vibes from others. From a psychological / medical perspective those positive feelings translate directly into reduction of stress and a biological response that may foster relaxation. From a marketing perspective that's a key point to remember.

There's More to it of Course
Sure you might say, but what about those secret wishes we have where there is not obvious feed back mechanism? Yes indeed there is more to it and it's way to complicated to for this short article. Wishing has much to do with our belief systems and the hopes fears and desires our wishes express. Obviously we all have our secret wishes, like our desire to win the lottery etc.

One of the real keys to marketing is to understand both what people believe and what they wish for - both openly and secretly. If your marketing message, ad copy and products honestly offer clients wish fulfillment, you've scored a marketing bullseye.

So is my Shamrock above simply a marketing sham or is it sincere? Well at the end of the day you will have to decide for yourself. In a cynical world filled with false promises and nothing but hype marketing tripe, it's no wonder some might doubt I'm being honest by creating something such as this.

You'll simply have to take my word for it that my wish to my readers is entirely genuine. If you feel included to share that sentiment with others please feel free to send my lucky shamrock to others via twitpic. If I have already made it pretty clear, let me state for the record that it is my St Patrick's day wish that, "all your good wishes come true". Call it magical thinking if you will but if it makes you feel good, even for an instant, it simply proves that to some degree wishes can be just a little bit magical.