NLP & GO

 

 

 Our  minds are constantly trying to make sense of the world.  To make sense of the world, we develop beliefs. We then make decisions and act according to those beliefs.   We have beliefs about how the world works, about what is moral and immoral,   about our personal identities  and capabilities,  about other people's  identities and capabilities....

 

We tend to act as if  our beliefs are established facts.   This can be problematic since some of our beliefs may be erroneous beliefs or only partially true.  When our beliefs are inaccurate or incomplete, the decisions we make based on them can lead to unnecessary problems and costly mistakes.   

 

For example:  Suppose someone believes that asking questions makes them look unintelligent. They'll probably remain silent, miss opportunities to learn, and later conclude that they aren't capable. The original belief—not reality—created the problem.

  

 

1)---From the beliefs that are common in the society we live in or among the people with whom we associate. (See Rambam, Hilchos De'os 6:1.)

2)---From the conclusions and generalizations we draw from our own experiences and from observing what happens to others. .  

3)--- From what our parents,  teachers,  and other significant people taught us. 

 

 Because many beliefs develop gradually through experience or by absorbing the attitudes of those around us, we are often unaware that we even hold them. That makes them much harder to identify and change.

 

 

--Always true

--Always false

--Partially true 

--True only in certain situations or at certain times in one's life

--True for one person but not for another. 

 

The last three categories are often the most difficult because they contain some truth. That makes them much harder to recognize and evaluate objectively.

 

The next step is to identify our beliefs and evaluate whether they are accurate, useful, or in need of revision. In future articles, I plan to  discuss practical ways to identify and evaluate our beliefs and, when appropriate, change them.....