We do what we do because we believe what we believe. If we want to change what we do or improve, we must examine our beliefs.
That’s much easier said than done. Our beliefs are our assumptions, and we rarely examine them. When we do, it’s likely to make us uncomfortable. The status quo seems safe. But the gravity of the status quo can keep you from taking flight and becoming the person God wants you to be.
Many new things are hard. Learning something new often has implications far, far beyond what we could expect. Occasionally, the benefits of a revised outlook can be outstandingly wonderful.
Once upon a time, my best male friend invited me to climb Kilimanjaro with him. I was disinclined, but ultimately, I did what was the hardest thing of my life. Unbeknownst to me, that trip opened vast new possibilities that I had never considered. That kind of miracle can only happen if you step back to analyze who you are and what’s possible.
Examining Your Beliefs Promotes Growth
When you examine your beliefs, you’re likely to discover your cognitive biases so you can account for them in the future. Questioning beliefs and assumptions leads to broader perspectives, enhanced empathy, improved problem-solving, and greater adaptability.
Limiting beliefs are assumptions or perceptions you have about yourself, others, or the world that limit you in some way. You may not even realize that you have them. Examining your beliefs helps you uncover your limiting beliefs so you can change them and open up new possibilities for personal and professional growth.
Examining Your Beliefs Demands a Growth Mindset
Before you can make the effort to change, you must believe that you can change and that your efforts can make a difference. In her 2006 book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, psychologist Carol Dweck identified two mindsets that summarize people’s attitudes toward growth.
People with a fixed mindset believe their abilities are “carved in stone,” permanent and unchangeable. Alternatively, Dweck describes those with a growth mindset this way.
“This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts. Although people may differ in every which way—in their initial talents and aptitudes, interests, or temperaments—everyone can change and grow through application and experience.”
Examining Your Beliefs Requires Action
Examining your beliefs is not something you do every day. People usually begin the process only when something outside nudges them. Sometimes, life changes dramatically, and you find yourself thinking about how things are different and how you respond. Sometimes, you see an opportunity you want to seize and start thinking about what you must do to succeed. Here are some things you can do to examine your beliefs.
Question your decision-making process. Think about a recent decision. Ask yourself what you assumed. Dissect your reasoning. How could you have made a better decision? Could you have acted faster or more deliberately?
Seek out opposing views. Read about them. Discuss your views with friends and colleagues who differ from you. Listen to what they say and tease out the reasons for their position. Pay special attention to what makes you uncomfortable so you can analyze why. Be civil.
Develop the reflection habit. Don’t make examining your beliefs a one-and-done exercise. Set aside time to think about what’s important to you. Reflect on your most important beliefs and whether you’re living in harmony with them. Journaling is a wonderful way to do this.
We can all do much better. However, to improve, we must identify the beliefs that are not helping us and do the hard work of challenging and changing them.
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When have you challenged or changed your beliefs? What happened?
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Terry Moore, CCIM, is the author of Building Legacy Wealth: How to Build Wealth and Live a Life Worth Imitating. Read his “Welcome to My Blog.”