5 Simple Ways to Challenge Your Beliefs

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Abstract

ay.</h2>They don’t have a good enough reason to challenge their built-in status quo.But sometimes, even when you’re ready to come out of the comfort zone, you realize that you can’t. Something bigger than “hard work” stops you.On some deep level, you don’t think you can do what’s necessary to achieve your goal.That’s your belief system at work. A belief is like a lens that’s been programmed into your mind. If your glasses have blue lenses, you can’t see the blue dots on the wall. The same is true with your beliefs. You can’t see them — because you’re looking right through them.<h2 id="ba4f">5 Ways to Challenge Your Beliefs</h2>When you’re ready to change but feel stuck, here are five ways to get “un-stuck” and do what you’ve always wanted.To make this very concrete, let’s take a simple example. Let’s say that you’ve always wanted to be a writer, but you just can’t get started. You think, “There’s no way I can make a living as a writer.”If by chance this applies to you, follow along. Otherwise, replace it with your own “I can’t do X…”<ol><li>Start by digging a little deeper. Ask why. “Why can’t you make a living as a writer?”

Let’s imagine that the answer is, “Writers don’t make enough money to survive.”

Just by calling o

Options

ut the reason, you might already see how illogical it is.

But if that’s not enough…</li><li>Ask yourself, “How do I KNOW?” How do you know that writers don’t make enough money to survive? Go back to the source of your belief.

An example of this might be, “That’s what my mother always said.”

Or it could be, “I met a writer once who was living in a studio apartment and eating ramen.”

This might do it. But if it doesn’t…</li><li>Look for other ways to interpret that source event.

For example, just because your mother said so doesn’t make it true. And just because that one writer was a starving artist doesn’t mean all writers are.

Then…</li><li>Look for evidence that disproves your belief.

Find someone who makes a living as a writer. Read about someone who’s done it.

And finally…</li><li>Even if you think you can’t…try. Do it anyway. And then, try again.

Just go for it — ESPECIALLY if it’s out of your comfort zone. Just by taking action, you’ll most likely prove yourself wrong.</li></ol><h2 id="e8f8">Is it worth it?</h2>If it is, make the effort. Remember — your mind is efficient. There may be a short learning period…But eventually, the actions you thought you couldn’t take will become second-nature.And you’ll finally do what you’ve always wanted.</article></body>

And Do What You’ve Always Wanted

Your brain has many built-in methods to save energy. One of those is your implicit memory — the one that helps you drive a car, or eat with utensils. After an initial learning period, you master these tasks and no longer have to think about them.

It takes a lot of effort to “unlearn” bad habits that are implicit. That’s why, after years of swinging one way, a pro golfer might hire a coach to teach them a radical new swing. Their old swing is so ingrained that it’s difficult for them to change it on their own. They can’t see their own automatic movements.

That’s the efficiency of your mind.

The pro golfer has a good reason to push beyond this built-in comfort zone. Most people don’t.

This is why most people never grow in any significant way.

They don’t have a good enough reason to challenge their built-in status quo.

But sometimes, even when you’re ready to come out of the comfort zone, you realize that you can’t. Something bigger than “hard work” stops you.

On some deep level, you don’t think you can do what’s necessary to achieve your goal.

That’s your belief system at work. A belief is like a lens that’s been programmed into your mind. If your glasses have blue lenses, you can’t see the blue dots on the wall. The same is true with your beliefs. You can’t see them — because you’re looking right through them.

5 Ways to Challenge Your Beliefs

When you’re ready to change but feel stuck, here are five ways to get “un-stuck” and do what you’ve always wanted.

To make this very concrete, let’s take a simple example. Let’s say that you’ve always wanted to be a writer, but you just can’t get started. You think, “There’s no way I can make a living as a writer.”

If by chance this applies to you, follow along. Otherwise, replace it with your own “I can’t do X…”

Start by digging a little deeper. Ask why. “Why can’t you make a living as a writer?” Let’s imagine that the answer is, “Writers don’t make enough money to survive.” Just by calling out the reason, you might already see how illogical it is. But if that’s not enough…

Ask yourself, “How do I KNOW?” How do you know that writers don’t make enough money to survive? Go back to the source of your belief. An example of this might be, “That’s what my mother always said.” Or it could be, “I met a writer once who was living in a studio apartment and eating ramen.” This might do it. But if it doesn’t…

Look for other ways to interpret that source event. For example, just because your mother said so doesn’t make it true. And just because that one writer was a starving artist doesn’t mean all writers are. Then…

Look for evidence that disproves your belief. Find someone who makes a living as a writer. Read about someone who’s done it. And finally…

Even if you think you can’t…try. Do it anyway. And then, try again. Just go for it — ESPECIALLY if it’s out of your comfort zone. Just by taking action, you’ll most likely prove yourself wrong.