We all have kind of a map inside that we use to navigate in this world. This “map” is sort of our representation of what this world is about.
The map, however, is not the same as the territory, not the same as reality. It is our own created representation of the world.
And, we need to have it. If we don’t have any kind of map, it would be basically impossible for us to navigate and operate in this world.
So this map is a representation of the world that we use in making sense of the world and thus helping us creating an experience of the world.
Beliefs Are an Important Part of the Map
One of the main components of this map is, or are, our beliefs, which we have a lot of. I mean a lot.
Now, beliefs are not truths. They are our own assessments or perceptions of how we interpret the truth or the reality of where we live.
It’s important to realize that the map really is not the reality, although we tend to think so. It’s our interpretation. It’s our assessment. Our beliefs are assessments of ourselves, the other people around us and the world in general, and so is the map, too.
In my book, Your Own Blue Ocean, I explain quite thoroughly how we have formed these beliefs and how we use them, and also what we can do if we want to change any of them.
We Have Beliefs that Serve Us Well and Beliefs that Limit Our Life
Some of our beliefs serve us very well and they help us really to operate in this world in a sensible way.
However, we all have also beliefs that are not serving us that well. We call them often limiting beliefs. They limit our thinking and what we think what we can do. They limit us in a way that we, in fact, are capable of doing a lot more than what we believe we can.
Therefore, being or becoming aware of your own beliefs, what beliefs serve you well and what beliefs limit you, is a very good way to improve yourself, grow personally and develop yourself in many ways.
Words of Wisdom
In my new book, Words of Wisdom, chapter eight deals with beliefs and fears. Fears are also kind of beliefs that we have and I have a separate blog post on them.
Like all the chapters in this book, also chapter eight has a lot of quotes from wise people regarding beliefs and here is a quote that I find particularly revealing. This is from Robert Anton Wilson:
So beliefs, in a way, form a lens through which we look at the world.
We interpret the world and how we experience the world through our beliefs and through this lens, an imaginary lens, that our beliefs have created.
To wrap it up; we don’t see the reality of the world. We see our own perception of the world that is created by a lot of different factors. Beliefs are a very significant factor of that lens through which we look at the world.
You can find descriptions of some of the other factors in my other blog posts.
