What is a Belief?
A belief is the acceptance of something as true, or thinking that something could be true as a fact. Beliefs are essentially judgments and evaluations about ourselves, others and the world around us. All of us have beliefs that serve as resources and empower us, as well as beliefs that limit us and hold us back. Most of our influential beliefs are outside of our conscious awareness, and have a tremendous impact on our daily thoughts, actions, and overall ways of being.
The Power of Beliefs
Before May 6, 1954, it was widely assumed that to run the distance of a mile under four minutes was impossible for a human. In the nine years prior to the historic day when Roger Bannister broke the four minute mile, no one else had ever come close. Bannister broke the 4 minute mile barrier because he knew it was possible. Within six weeks after Bannister did this, the Australian runner, John Lundy lowered the record by another second. Within one year, 37 runners broke the belief barrier. And the year after that, 300 other runners did the same thing.
Another Example
There was a study where researchers put a $5 bill in a specific location where people would be walking by it. Some people spotted the money and some didn’t.
They then interviewed the unwitting “subjects” to find out who among them considered themselves “lucky” and who considered themselves “unlucky.” (Not because of the money, just in general.)
What they discovered was fascinating to me. There was a tremendous overlap between the group of people who saw the money and the group of people who defined themselves as “lucky.” Those who defined themselves as “unlucky” were significantly less likely to “see” the money.
One of the most basic coaching presuppositions is that “We are all responsible for creating our own reality.” The way this plays out in our lives is that our brain is always filtering our experiences to match the thoughts and beliefs we hold.
It’s all about mindset. So if I believe I’m lucky, I see the money. I get the good parking spot. I notice the business opportunities that come my way.
The objective of today’s article is to get you thinking about, to examine and question your beliefs – about money, about yourself and / or about your life in general.
Here is a quick little exercise. Think about or write down:
Things I Like / Love About My Life…
Things I Don’t Like About My Life…
What conclusions can I reach based on the above information? What are my insights? Any beliefs that come to mind?
I would love to hear what comes up for you.
Wishing you the best.
Tara
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