I’ve talked a lot about the law of attraction, confirmation bias and how when you believe something, signs are everywhere. When we believe something so strongly about ourselves and the world around us, it can prevent us from learning new things. If our ego is dependent on what we believe, that can be even more dangerous because a lot more is at stake.
Think about when you have a disagreement with someone. If they are convinced that they are right and keep defending themselves, how easy is it for them to take a step back and see your perspective? In my experience, there are just some people who won’t see where you are coming from because their ego is so invested in what they believe.
If you have trouble with challenging your own beliefs, make it your mission to seek out people who have different perspectives and experiences than you. Go into conversations with:
1. The objective to learn. Appreciate the value of diversity. See keeping an open mind as an asset and something that can help you. Have a curious heart that isn’t judgmental. Remind yourself that people are entitled to their own opinions and feelings on things and that they are just as valuable as yours, even when you don’t agree on something.
2. Be respectful and stay on topic, rather than get personal. Avoid generalizing about people, their intent and avoid personal insults.
3. Validate the other person’s view and focus on the things you do come together on. Have mutual respect for each other’s views and agree to disagree when necessary. Perhaps the only thing you can come together about is your passion about a particular issue.
Remember, we create our own limits. Our mind can be a prison, created by our own fears and insecurities. Our beliefs can be a buffer we create to protect ourselves from rejection and failure. But our minds can also be a place where we dare to look at things differently and learn so much more about ourselves and the world around us. The choice is ours.
