If your friends poke fun at you for crossing your fingers while asking for a raise or superstitiously wearing the same sports bra during every 5K you run, ignore them. People who have done something they believe will result in a more favorable outcome are more confident, so they actually perform better than those who don’t, according to new research from the University of Cologne in Germany. And who knows—in time you may realize that you don’t need a rabbit’s foot in your pocket to succeed!