Questioning our personal beliefs from time to time is a good thing
When you think about it, very few people set out to prove themselves wrong. In fact there's plenty of research that supports the idea that people filter their incoming information in ways that protects their points of view.
We can be given 5 sources of information to contradict our understanding, but just one source in support; will trump the other sources and serve to confirm our convictions.
We do all sorts of things to ensure the preservation of our views. We tend to keep company with people that generally share the same values; we habitually get our information from familiar sources, and take refuge in common cultural views.
When you think about it, very few people set out to prove themselves wrong. In fact there's plenty of research that supports the idea that people filter their incoming information in ways that protects their points of view.
We can be given 5 sources of information to contradict our understanding, but just one source in support; will trump the other sources and serve to confirm our convictions.
We do all sorts of things to ensure the preservation of our views. We tend to keep company with people that generally share the same values; we habitually get our information from familiar sources, and take refuge in common cultural views.
This is referred to as confirmation bias. Humans are fantastic at building a life for themselves that supports their belief systems, whether in reality; they are factual or not.
One can see that all this can be self limiting especially if someone's not well informed, but believes otherwise. So how do we know if our beliefs are limiting us, or, if they're inline with growth and self actualization? Quite simply, we can never know unless from time to time we step out of all that familiarity we've surrounded ourselves with. Talk to different people, read some books on subjects you normally don't read. It's also a good idea to tell ourselves from time to time that maybe we don't know what the hell we're talking about!
If you're someone who likes to think their always right, take a chance, be brave and allow yourself to doubt something you believe to be true; it just might set you free.
One can see that all this can be self limiting especially if someone's not well informed, but believes otherwise. So how do we know if our beliefs are limiting us, or, if they're inline with growth and self actualization? Quite simply, we can never know unless from time to time we step out of all that familiarity we've surrounded ourselves with. Talk to different people, read some books on subjects you normally don't read. It's also a good idea to tell ourselves from time to time that maybe we don't know what the hell we're talking about!
If you're someone who likes to think their always right, take a chance, be brave and allow yourself to doubt something you believe to be true; it just might set you free.
