Beliefs
Beliefs are fixed judgments about oneself, others and the world that influence interpretations, emotions and actions.
Definition
Beliefs organize experience and help you quickly interpret situations, but they can also perpetuate limitations. They arise through experience, social learning, repeated narratives, and emotionally powerful events. In cognitive work, it is important to check beliefs in data, and not just repeat them automatically.
Key ideas
- Judgments about the world and yourself
- Influence on emotions and decisions
- Possibility of verification
Practice and life
Choose one strong belief and write down the evidence for, the evidence against, and a more flexible version that still respects the facts.
Common misconceptions
It is a mistake to treat beliefs as immutable facts. A common mistake is to replace one extreme belief with another, equally unverified one.
> A belief does not have to be true to guide behavior.
> — Guru Element
Questions for self-reflection
- What belief is behind my reaction?
- How do I know this is true?
- Which version of belief is more useful and factual?