Yourself in beliefs
The more robust solution than believing in yourself
For us to be authentic, the gospel we preach must perfectly align with the belief system that underpins it. Easy in theory, hard in practice - it relies confidence, comfort and tenacity; with a willingness to defend your belief system if needed.
If we think about it for a minute, it’s actually a fundamental component of our existence - we need to find our tribe. Your tribe is effectively those who share the same beliefs as you, or at least the majority of them. If you find someone who has a full set of identical beliefs to you, you’ve just found a life partner or a best friend. If you find a group of people who has identical beliefs to you, then you’ve probably just joined a cult.
The most fascinating thing about all of this, is how we come to form our beliefs. How do you settle on them before adopting them?
Do you just stumble across them?
Do you need to hear someone else articulate their beliefs before you can determine whether you converge or diverge on the same values as that person?
Are they innately infused into your character; and you just require a few contextual tests to determine how robust they are?
Or are they influenced by your environment; and end up being a more malleable system which can morph over time? And if it does appear to morph, is that a genuine shift in your belief system, or had you simply adopted the wrong (or ‘inauthentic’) values in the first place?
My fascination with beliefs is purely borne from the place of trying to figure out my own. Some of my beliefs I’ve had as long as I remember, and have never changed. Others appear to be more undetermined.
But why is it important?
Well, I’d argue that it’s the compass for your whole life. Figure out the True North for your beliefs early on, and the rest of your existence can potentially be effortless. Thereafter, in theory - every choice you make is constrained by your belief systems. Decision making is simplified; less wrong turns; less wasted opportunities - or at the very least, minimal opportunity cost. Things may not always go right, but you never have any doubt in your mind it was the right way to go at the time.
If this genuinely is a life hack, then I find it even more fascinating that nearly no one ever gives too much thought to this. Even more, the fact that some attribute little to no value to their beliefs - and are willing to overlook them, compromise them, or even attempt to change them in order to appease someone else - and such willingness is directly correlated to the perceived importance of that influencer.
If integrity is really a proxy for authenticity; and a successful life is deemed to be one that’s lived through a lens of beliefs that are authentically aligned to your actual self - then irrespective of any other outward metric - if whatever you’ve achieved is out of alignment with your beliefs, then you’ll never feel successful.
So the secret: wherever they come from, and however they’re formed - dedicate all your energy in establishing your true beliefs. Ask others to articulate theirs, test your own against theirs, and consider them fully and holistically.
And once you’ve established them, never take a decision on anything that goes against them, or compromises them.
It may not go right, but it will always end up being the right way to go.
TH