What we don’t tend to realize is that our thoughts and actions are running on autopilot.
We think we have control of them, that we’re choosing what to think and do, but for most part, we don’t.
We’re just running a bunch of programs in our minds based on our beliefs.
We filter in raw information from the outside based on our beliefs and that translates into our thoughts and actions. It happens so seamlessly that we aren’t even aware of that process in the first place.
For example, if you’re walking down the street and you have this belief that people who dress a certain way and are of a particular race are violent, and you see that kind of person walking toward you, you bet your thoughts and actions are going to be congruent based on that belief. Maybe you’ll walk to the other side of the street, your heart starts racing, your muscles start tensing up – the whole works – all because of this one belief.
You have a million others running in the background influencing your thoughts and actions on a daily basis.
Because of that, it’s SO important that we question our beliefs because they hold the key to controlling our thoughts and actions and sometimes, our beliefs aren’t really conducive to producing the best thoughts and actions that serve us.
Before we go on, there’s one VERY important fact you MUST be aware of.
You have to realize that 99.9% of the beliefs that are running in our minds – they were never our own in the first place.
They were pounded in us through SHEER ATTRITION ever since we were children from various authority figures, whether from our parents, teachers, relatives, mentors, pastors, rabbis – basically anybody around us that had potential to shape our impressionable young minds.
And it stayed with us for a very long time.
And when it came time to leave the house and start our own lives, we realize we didn’t have anybody else out there pounding beliefs in us anymore.
So we find ourselves “stuck” with the beliefs we grew up, whether we realize it or not.
Now, most of us probably weren’t blessed with the greatest role models in our childhood so as a result, might have been stuck with beliefs that disserve us, that don’t produce the kind of thoughts and actions we want.
But even after realizing all this, most people hesitate at the idea of questioning their beliefs. It’s akin to playing with mental dynamite for some.
Why?
Because of the hidden question of:
What if they were “wrong” the whole time?
You see, our entire lives – our lifestyle, the people we associate with, the things we do, all in some way shape or form are built upon a “belief foundation”.
You take away that foundation by realizing that a belief was “wrong”, everything crumbles.
That’s what people fear.
Let me give you an example.
Of the many beliefs out there, there are three that are very taboo, that we don’t really like to talk about with others and some that are in no particular order are – religion, politics, and money.
Let’s choose religion.
Let’s say a person was raised in one particular religion. The doctrine was pounded in them by parents and their religious leader.
This person grew up his whole life in this religion and lived by the rules of it, married another person with the same religion, served the religious community, the whole works.
But let’s say one day this person started questioning his religious beliefs for whatever reason and for example’s sake, found that this religion was not for him for various reasons.
Can you see the dilemma this person faces after building his life based on this belief?
Most people fear that kind of dilemma should they choose to sit down and question their beliefs.
It’s a scary thing because that questioning can lead to massive change that could potentially shake their world upside down – alienate them from friends and family, make them choose an entirely new path, start new their lives from scratch, etc.
So do they pretend nothing’s wrong and go on to live their lives, divided inside, never having peace of mind or will they display the courage to act on their beliefs and find one that they TRULY believe in and live in the fullest sense of the word?
Realize this.
YOU CANNOT LOSE if you question your beliefs.
It’s a win/win situation.
The way I see it, when you get in the habit of questioning your beliefs, either one of two things is going to happen.
1. You find your belief is rock solid and helps you produce the thoughts and actions you want in life so by questioning it and confirming it, you only make it stronger.
2. You find your belief isn’t as rock solid as you thought and may even be preventing you from thinking the thoughts and taking the actions you want in life. In that case, you break the foundation of that belief and build a new one, one that is rock solid and does help produce the thoughts and actions you want in life.
Let’s use the taboo topic of money as an example.
Most kids were pounded with this kind of belief about money growing up:
“Having a lot of money is bad. That means you’re greedy.”
Can you see how somebody having that kind of belief drilled into a person can influence his thoughts and actions seamlessly to the point where he has trouble saving or has trouble launching a business he knows can be very profitable?
Because according to that belief, if he doesn’t have a lot of money, that’s good because it means he’s not greedy.
His beliefs influence his thoughts and actions so he never saves a lot and he never takes advantage of opportunities that can make him a lot of money so that he doesn’t have a lot of money, which in his mind translates to him not being greedy, which is a good thing.
But part of him wants to make money to help others, but he feels that there’s that something holding him back, an invisible straitjacket that prevents him from taking action, but he doesn’t even realize it’s his belief because it’s been so drilled into him and that it influences his thoughts and actions instantaneously – it all happens so fast.
Now is that belief rock solid?
Really question it.
Is it true? Is it accurate? Does it make sense?
Does having a lot of money automatically mean that you’re greedy?
Not really.
Having a lot of money could be a sign you’ve been helping a lot of people, providing a great product/service that really enhances their lives, maybe even saves it, which doesn’t really fit with somebody being greedy, who only thinks of themselves.
What could be a better belief he can drill into himself, one that serves him better?
It could be something like:
Having a lot of money is a sign that I’ve added value to many people’s lives. It’s also a sign that I’m responsible with my money and that I have the discipline to save and it also affords me the opportunity to give back and help others in need.
Can you see how this new belief empowers him? Frees him? Helps create the thoughts and actions he wants in his life?
Remember, beliefs influence our thoughts and actions seamlessly.
It happens so quick we don’t even realize it.
Have the wrong belief – you’re going to have the kind of thoughts and actions you don’t want to happen, happening seamlessly.
Have the right belief, and you’ll have the right kind of thoughts and actions on autopilot, so there’s no “mind chatter” where you fight yourself, no mental “straitjacket”, no guilt whatsoever so you’re free to think the thoughts and do the actions that give you the results you want to see in your life based on that belief.
Make your beliefs YOUR OWN by questioning them.
Strengthen the ones that are rock solid, pick apart the ones that aren’t, and then pick the right beliefs for you and begin pounding them into your mind because now, nobody is there to do it for you.
Everything else will flow in your favor from there.
