A person with beliefs is markedly different from the non-ideological members of society. The height of morality and the degree of nobility of aspirations are secondary — others will judge later based on the results achieved. The primary role is played by energy, which forces you to act when there is no chance of success, to speak out, even if it is unprofitable. Beliefs may seem like an abstract set of personal preferences.
They are immaterial, but they directly impact one’s way of thinking, perception of the world, and life. Living according to one’s beliefs is not empty or meaningless every day. It is not easy to protect yourself from the influence of social attitudes and fashion trends. The task becomes completely impossible when a person has no opinion. Personal beliefs are a force that manifests itself in various areas of daily life.
Beliefs are your reference point
Each day, we face hundreds of tasks, many of which are insignificant; therefore, they are solved automatically without thinking. Conducting a full-fledged analysis when choosing which socks to wear or which mug to brew coffee is unnecessary. Real dilemmas with far-reaching consequences are much less common.
This is where manual control is required, but the prospect of making the wrong choice is frightening. The brain doesn’t want to solve anything; it is quite comfortable, and a sudden task spoils a good day. There are three ways out of this situation: let everything take its course, endlessly twist probabilities in your head, or follow your beliefs.
The latter will not necessarily lead to the right decision; however, more in-depth analysis is needed to guarantee this. However, by following beliefs, you banish doubts that act like poison. There is a second significant advantage. When you make a decision, you will have absolute confidence in the correctness of the choice.
But, having beliefs leaves no room for tossing from side to side. This landmark indicates the direction when someone does not know how to do the right thing. Of course, life will test your beliefs for strength, but time will show how they correspond to the concept of humanity. On the other hand, if there are no beliefs, then the subject for evaluation disappears. The “gray mass” consists of a multitude of unprincipled individuals.
Beliefs are part of your identity
Human identity consists of countless attributes, many of which are artificial and, therefore, temporary. Skin color, eye shape, clothing style preference, and finally, the dilemma of the century — Android or iOS. All of the above distinguishes some from others, but only externally.
The internal state is much more important. Beliefs mark others as their own or others’, as worthy or despicable. This is the most vital attribute of identity — something similar can be seen among football fans, albeit on a much more primitive level. The stronger the beliefs, the more they resist actions and words that counter identity.
You act in a certain way because you are “that” person and no other reason is required. Everything is so easy, but at the same time unimaginably tricky. It’s one thing to talk about high matters while sitting at home on the couch or in your favorite bar.
Confirming views in practice without betraying your values is quite another thing, especially when it becomes the simplest, logically justified, and most obvious solution. The manifestation of stability and moral strength will be noted in the “personal file” and appreciated by others — both supporters,
Beliefs are a topic for intellectual conversations
A solid foundation is needed for stable beliefs — the presence of interests and deep involvement in a particular topic. This means that there is an area in which you are much better versed than most people. In precisely the same way, an interlocutor with a different position sees the world differently. He also has more profound knowledge but is already in his field of preference.
This is what the best conditions for meaningful dialogue look like. Two people are not discussing another trend, TV series, or gossip but something sublime. At such moments, you seem to break away from everyday life, look at the world from a bird’ s-eye view, look for answers to philosophical questions, and decide what is good and bad.
Then it’s time to say goodbye — at that moment, you realize how many things you haven’t discussed with a worthy listener and a fascinating storyteller. V I S I T. A F R I N I K . C O M. More flexibility of thought and intelligence can save everything. This is expressed as unwillingness to listen, especially when the interlocutor promotes ideas contradicting your views.
The usual reaction is to hang stamps. In this way, the brain tries to make an exhaustive conclusion and compare fragments of incoming information with existing models. It takes a few seconds in automatic mode, after which bias is connected to the conversation.
Beliefs cannot be taken away
Beliefs are one of the few things no one can ever take away from you. We know of examples where people have remained true to their views even in the face of death. Such people are usually called heroes, but sometimes they become martyrs.
Moreover, beliefs can charm others, spread to others, and become stronger after the violent death of the original bearer.
Having a belief means that you own something eternal, beyond the control of any laws and time itself. It adds meaning to life by answering some of the most important questions or making them insignificant. One day, the moment will come, and you will disappear, but beliefs can continue the path, preserving the memory of you, at least within a narrow group of close people.
The capitalization of your beliefs increases over time. A look that has lived for a month is worthless — it is instead a declaration. After a couple of years, it becomes a principle, and then it turns into a moral. The longer a person adheres to the chosen value system, the more expensive it becomes. Beliefs are your property; you can see it or rent it.
How to strengthen beliefs
First of all, any complex idea needs to be thoroughly studied. Principles cannot be based on several slogans. If more attractive slogans appear, such beliefs will be swept away instantly. To strengthen the views, context is needed: history, a brief biography of the idea generators, and successful and failed application examples in practice.
You have to understand precisely what you’re dealing with. Even within the same concept, there will undoubtedly be different opinions on individual details. Attention should be paid to all areas — this will increase the overall level of understanding and add arguments in a dispute or fascinating facts for a conversation.
Further, when the system of views is formed, it must be regularly questioned. Not only can you make mistakes, but you are also great thinkers. Some ideas lose relevance and require rethinking and bringing them to the existing reality. Study opposing views to find vulnerabilities in your beliefs, then look for counterarguments. This cycle has no end, but the further you go, the more profound questions you will face, adding significance to searching for meaning and truth.
