Different people have different belief systems. A person’s belief system can influence the way they behave and how they interact with others. This can have consequences for both themselves and other people.
People are often protective of the belief systems and may not be open to other ideas. Sometimes it is hard to present an intellectual argument that invites them to see another view. They may simply reply by saying ‘Yes, but…’
People may only change their views by finding what for them may be a more beneficial belief system. Sometimes this can happen if either:
They experience a crisis that encourages them to explore their beliefs;
They have a Eureka Moment that shows another view;
They see a better way of achieving their personal or professional goals.
There are several definitions for belief systems. These include the following.
A person’s belief system refers to the core values, principles and ideologies they hold. These are often shaped by cultural, societal, religious, and personal influences.
A person’s belief system is sometimes called their paradigm – the way they look at the world. This can shape their attitudes, the way they interpret events and how they behave in their daily life and work.
Different people follow different belief systems. The beliefs they follow may be governed by:
What they believe is important in life;
How they believe in behaving in order to achieve what they see as important;
Whether they believe they are successful in getting what they see as important.
Let’s explore how people may express these themes in their lives and work.
People may often behave in ways that
are influenced by their belief system
People often behave in ways that are strongly influenced by their belief system. The actions they take can then have positive or negative consequences for other people and, in some cases, for the planet.
Different people have different belief systems. Here are some that they may follow.
Every person has their own belief system. Sometimes this can lead to the next theme that they may demonstrate.
People may look for information
that reinforces their belief system
Some people may have believes that means they only see what supports their present position. As we know, this is called confirmation bias.
When asked to consider another view, they reject it. They aim to justify their own position by giving examples or by attacking those who have other views. This poses the question:
Do we believe what we see or do we see what we believe?
Different people have different reasons for refusing to read reality. Some have an emotional, economic or other investment that means they prefer to continue behaving in the same way.
Some may refuse to recognise reality because they are afraid of the consequences. They may not know how to develop their behaviour or manage the potential challenges.
There can sometimes be ways to expand people’s thinking, however, which leads to the next theme.
People may only change their views
if they find what for them may
be a more beneficial belief system
People buy success rather than the theory of success. Bearing this in mind, some people may only change their views if they see that doing so will bring them more benefits.
Different people may do this for different reasons. Here are some examples.
A person may choose to give up an addiction and live a healthier lifestyle because they want to live longer.
A person may choose to encourage their partner rather than keep criticising them because they want to do their part in building a happy marriage.
A leader may choose to develop a more positive leadership style because this will help them to build a more successful organisation.
A company may choose to develop more sustainable practices and products because doing this will help them to make more profits.
Some people become open to different ways forward because of certain experiences. Some may have a crisis. Some may have a Eureka moment. Some may be helped to see that there is another way to achieve success.
Imagine that you are in a situation where a person or a group of people may be open to exploring another approach. One approach is to create a positive environment and show people respect. You may then aim:
To show people that you understand their present position and their personal or professional goals
To position the ideas you offer in a way that increases the chances of people being open to using them to achieve their goals;
To show some practical ways forward that can help people to achieve their personal or professional goals.
Imagine that you have taken of these steps. When appropriate, you may then want to help people – a person or a group – to see a possible way forwards. One approach is to use the following framework.
Imagine that you have shared some practical ways forward and the person or the group of people want to follow these in their own way. They can then aim:
To make a specific action plan – such as certain daily disciplines – for following this approach on the way towards achieving their goals;
To get some early successes, encourage themselves, find solutions to challenges and achieve their goals;
To then, in the process, develop a new belief system that they can follow to continue to shape their future and achieve their goals.
This is one approach that can help people to develop another belief system. It can help them to focus on: a) what they believe is important in life; b) how they can achieve what they believe is important in life.
Let’s return to your own life and work. Looking ahead, can you think of a situation where you may want to follow elements of the belief system approach? This could be in your personal or professional life.
You may want to do this in your own life or when working with other people. How could you follow this approach in your own way? What may happen as a result of taking these steps?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
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