A gypsy woman put the evil eye on me as a child and I believe it has ruined my life

The belief in a childhood evil eye can generate a confirmation bias that affects the perception of personal and professional success.

Some people live convinced that a bad experience in childhood has marked them for life. We are not talking about a silly fall or a bad day, but something more ethereal, almost mystical: the evil eye. The idea, as old as the antiestéticar of the unknown, resurfaces in informal conversations and, at times, creeps into debates about how our expectations work and how they influence our path.

## The power of suggestion

Psychology has studied how beliefs, even the most implausible ones, can shape our reality. If someone is convinced that something will go wrong, they are likely to unconsciously act in ways that bring about that outcome. This phenomenon, known as **confirmation bias**, makes us pay more attention to failures and downplay successes, reinforcing the initial belief. In economic terms, this translates into a lower propensity to take risks, less confidence in one's own ability to start a business or invest, and, ultimately, lower growth potential.

## The impact on decisions

When a person feels that a past event, such as a supposed evil eye, has sealed their destiny, they can fall into a cycle of self-limitation. Every setback is interpreted as a confirmation of the curse, while successes are dismissed as mere coincidences or strokes of luck. This mindset can be a considerable burden in the professional and financial sphere. A lack of self-confidence can lead to rejecting opportunities for improvement, settling for unrewarding jobs, or avoiding investments that, with rational analysis, could be beneficial.