Are You Thinking and Challenging Your Beliefs? I Wasn’t.

Think about these sayings and beliefs. Money doesn’t grow on trees. When it rains it pours. It takes money to make money.

Really? Who comes up with this crap? More importantly, why do we repeat these and other ridiculous phrases. You probably got it from your parents, family or friends, right? But now, you regurgitate sayings like these without even thinking about them. That’s your subconscious speaking, your belief system drawing upon the files and beliefs of your past programming.

Do you find that scary? That things are ingrained (actively or passively) into your mind and every time you repeat such sayings you merely reinforce these ideas further.

The reason I asked if this is scary (and the reason I find it so scary) was that I once caught myself repeating one of the above sayings. For some reason after saying it, I just paused. After a few seconds of me being perplexed and confused why I just said that, I reflected on what it was I had just said. I was floored and asked myself, “WHAT? Ron, do you really believe that. Where the hell did you pick up that saying?” I then started thinking further and was like OMG, how long have you been repeating that? Then I started pondering what other garbage phrases or sayings I’ve been unconsciously sprouting out. My next thought was, “Houston, we have a problem.”

That’s a fact. I did have a problem. But the most important part was that I was now aware of it. For some reason that day, my awareness brought its A game. (And that folks is what its all about - Awareness.) I realized that for some time I blindly was taking what others had said at face value and believed it. I would take other people’s thoughts into my mind and belief system, store them away, and later regurgitate at some other time. All the while without even giving these thoughts or beliefs any thought or evaluation. They just seemed simple and straightforward and harmless enough.

I read it somewhere, you have to stand guard at the gate of your mind. This is so true. Reason being, thoughts and beliefs and ideas that you let enter your mind without careful dissection and reflection will easily take root. Each time you repeat them, as mentioned above, you reinforce and strengthen that belief. These thoughts will then show themselves as limiting beliefs preventing you from achieving and even pursuing your goals. Next thing you know, your kids are saying them too and they don’t even know why either.

So, bottom line. Are you accepting things you hear from others as gospel truth without reflection and critical thinking about what they’re saying? So, moving forward, don’t be a jackass about it, but seriously question what you hear. Especially if you hear it from the media or government. Ask WHY. Challenge what others say that they believe to be true. Challenge what you already believe to be true. Separate facts from opinions. I may have said this before, but “impossibles” are merely other people’s opinions. Roll that one around upstairs for a bit.

Outside of sayings, look at and challenge your own beliefs about relationships, family, money, God, success, health, growth. Everything, put it all under the microscope. That’s living a life of self examination. Throughout your life, this should be one of your top priorities – getting to know yourself and getting to know God.

Examine things, and discard the majority of what you hear, because it’s nonsense. Unless someone is at a higher level than you regarding spiritual, emotional, financial or physical growth, you probably don’t want to even give what they have to say in those respective areas a second thought. I mean, seriously, you’ll have some guy, maybe even a friend, tell you why some business venture will never work, meanwhile he has no experience whatsofreakingever doing it. Don’t listen to that guy. You know what? Slap him for me. Maybe do it the old school way – if you have a glove handy, smack him with that.

Back to my point though and most importantly, as opposed to taking cues from others and external sources, LOOK INSIDE of yourself for the answers. Not the media, not friends and family, not your environment. Pray, ask God for help and guidance and then LISTEN.