> There's no reason that "you're smart" can't work in the same way. The difference is that exercising intelligence takes a lot of hard work, whereas anyone can

> There's no reason that "you're smart" can't work in the same way. The difference is that exercising intelligence takes a lot of hard work, whereas anyone can "accept stupidity." So it's definitely not the same kind of self-fulfilling prophecy, even if it is a self-fulfilling prophecy (though all of the research I have seen claims otherwise, that people who are praised for their intelligence tend to give less of an effort).