Category Archives: Believe

How Locked-In Beliefs Close Our Minds to Opportunities for a Better Life

How Locked-In Beliefs Close Our Minds to Opportunities for a Better Life

Believe, Emotional Intelligence

Intelligence, Common Sense, and Locked-In Beliefs: Understanding the Difference

In our daily lives, we often hear the terms “intelligence” and “common sense” used interchangeably. However, these two concepts, while related, are distinct in several important ways. Understanding the difference between them can help us appreciate the unique contributions each makes to our decision-making and problem-solving abilities.

What is Intelligence?

Intelligence is a multifaceted concept that encompasses a person’s ability to learn, understand, and apply knowledge. It involves various cognitive processes such as reasoning, problem-solving, and abstract thinking. Intelligence is often measured through standardized tests that assess different aspects of cognitive ability, such as IQ tests.

What is Common Sense?

Common sense, on the other hand, refers to the ability to make sound judgments and decisions based on practical knowledge and everyday experience. It is often described as “good sense” or “sound judgment” in practical matters. Unlike intelligence, common sense does not require specialized knowledge or formal education. Instead, it is acquired through life experiences and observations.

Dictionary.com defines common sense as sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence.

What are “locked-in beliefs?”

Beliefs are personal convictions about what is true.

Beliefs become locked-in when people only expose themselves to input that makes them feel good.

Locked-in beliefs often have a powerful negatively emotional punch. When people read, see, or hear things that are different or contrary to their beliefs, they often get angry. Under that anger in a subtle more threatening way is fear.

People perceive these differences as threatening.  Common examples that make people threatened are politics, race or ethnicity, religion, even sports rivalries.

The most common sources of information that strengthen the lock of our beliefs include politically-based cable news networks, political talk show radio, politically slanted newspaper articles, social media, or any other source of information that is consistent with our beliefs.

People can challenge their limiting beliefs by acknowledging them and questioning them as facts.

How Locked-In Beliefs Close Your Mind to Opportunities to a Better life

While intelligence refers to the broader ability to learn, reason, and solve problems, common sense is a more practical form of judgment used in everyday situations, and beliefs are personal convictions about the world, often shaped by experiences and culture, which may or may not align with factual knowledge or logic; essentially, intelligence is about cognitive capacity, common sense is about practical application of knowledge, and beliefs are personal convictions about what is true.

Beliefs,on the other hand, create a platform that defies intelligence and common sense. They can divide people, destroy friendships, and lead people to make decisions and act when these decisions and acts are not in a person’s best interests.

Our brains filter information in a way that confirms our beliefs, whether those beliefs are positive or negative. By consciously shifting our mindset to focus on positive outcomes, we can start to see more of the good things happening around us. Jay Wren

Tell Your Brain Good Things About Yourself and Your Life

Believe, Confidence, Emotional Intelligence, Quotes, Success

Our brains filter information in a way that confirms our beliefs, whether those beliefs are positive or negative. By consciously shifting our mindset to focus on positive outcomes, we can start to see more of the good things happening around us.  ~ Jay Wren

Reading, hearing, or seeing things that confirm our beliefs makes us comfortable. So, if we keep thinking, “my life is terrible,” our brain will focus on experiences that reinforce that our lives are terrible.” But if we start telling ourselves that our lives are rewarding and healthy, our brain will start to notice the good things, reinforcing that positive belief. 

It’s like training your brain to be your own cheerleader. This doesn’t mean ignoring challenges or setbacks, but rather balancing them with the positives. Over time, this can lead to a more optimistic outlook and a greater sense of well-being.

Have you tried any specific techniques to help shift your mindset? Practices like gratitude journaling or positive affirmations can be really effective.

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The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are. C. S. Lewis

Surround Yourself with the Smartest People

Believe, Confidence, Continuing Professional Development, influencer, Network Connections, Quotes, Reflections

The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.
C. S. Lewis

In the pursuit of personal and professional growth, the adage “surround yourself with people who are smarter than you” holds a profound truth. Embracing the company of those who possess greater knowledge and skills can be a powerful catalyst for development and innovation.

Why Seek Smarter Company?
The benefits of surrounding oneself with more intelligent individuals are manifold. Firstly, it fosters an environment of continuous learning. Being around those who challenge our understanding pushes us to expand our knowledge base and question our preconceived notions. It’s a dynamic setting where ideas are exchanged, and intellectual boundaries are stretched.

Moreover, smarter colleagues act as a source of inspiration. They set a higher standard of excellence, motivating us to elevate our performance and strive for greater achievements. Their expertise and problem-solving abilities can also provide valuable insights that lead to more effective decision-making.

The Impact on Innovation
Innovation thrives in diverse and intellectually stimulating environments. When smart people come together, the synergy of their combined perspectives and experiences can lead to breakthroughs that might not occur in isolation. This collaborative intelligence is the bedrock of successful teams and organizations.

Creating a Smarter Circle
Building a network of intelligent individuals requires intentionality. It involves seeking out mentors, joining professional groups, attending conferences, and engaging in communities where knowledge-sharing is prevalent. It’s about being proactive in one’s own growth journey and recognizing the value that others bring to the table.

Conclusion
The wisdom of surrounding yourself with smarter individuals is not about diminishing one’s self-worth but about recognizing the power of collective intelligence. It’s a humble acknowledgment that we all have something to learn from one another. By embracing this mindset, we open ourselves up to a world of endless possibilities and growth.

Remember, intelligence is not just about academic prowess; it encompasses emotional, social, and creative intelligence as well. So, when we talk about surrounding ourselves with ‘smarter’ people, it’s about seeking those who can complement and enhance our own abilities in various spheres of life. It’s a journey well worth embarking on.

 

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The power of emotional autonomy: Never give anyone the power to control how you feel or what you think. ~ Jay Wren

The Power of Emotional Autonomy

Believe, Confidence, Emotional Intelligence

The power of emotional autonomy: Never give anyone the power to control how you feel or what you think. ~ Jay Wren

Emotional autonomy is a vital aspect of personal development and well-being. It refers to the ability to maintain control over one’s own emotional state, rather than allowing external circumstances or the actions of others to dictate how one feels and thinks. This concept is not just about resilience or independence; it’s about recognizing that we have the power to choose our responses to the challenges life throws at us.

The journey towards emotional autonomy involves several key steps. Firstly, it requires self-awareness. Understanding our emotions and the triggers that affect them allows us to manage our reactions more effectively. Secondly, it involves setting boundaries. By defining what is acceptable and what is not in our interactions with others, we protect our emotional space.

Another crucial element is the development of coping strategies. Whether it’s through mindfulness, therapy, or simply taking time for oneself, finding ways to deal with stress and negative emotions is essential. Additionally, fostering a strong support network can provide the encouragement and perspective needed when facing difficult situations.

Ultimately, emotional autonomy is about empowerment. It’s about realizing that while we cannot control everything that happens to us, we can control our reactions. It’s a liberating understanding that can lead to a more fulfilling and balanced life.

As we navigate the complexities of relationships, work, and personal aspirations, remembering the mantra “Never give anyone the power to control how you feel and what you think” can serve as a guiding principle. It reminds us that our emotional well-being is in our hands, and with the right tools and mindset, we can face life’s ups and downs with confidence and poise.

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Horrible things happen to all of us. Things beyond our control. But developing winning traits can change the questions we ask when we meet challenges. We stop asking, "Why me?" Instead, we ask, "What steps can I take today to make things better?" Jay Wren

What Steps can I Take Today to Make Things Better?

Believe, Confidence, Emotional Intelligence, influencer, Leadership, Quotes

Horrible things happen to all of us, things beyond our control. But developing winning traits can change the questions we ask when we meet challenges. We stop asking, “Why me?” Instead, we ask, “What steps can I take today to make things better?” ~ www.jaywren.com

 

 

 

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“Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.” Mark Twain

Create a New Day

Believe, Confidence, Emotional Intelligence, Social Media

“Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.” Mark Twain

I decide every day what kind of day I am going to have. I can either dread it or stay in the present movement and only think about things as they happen.

Depending on what was going on the day before and what I expect to happen today, I may get out of bed feeling frustrated, grateful, full of great expectation, or not aware of my feelings at all.

My instinct is to grab a cup of coffee and sit down at my desk and dive into my work. This is not a good routine. If I want to love my day, I need to clear my head and decide that I am going to be happy and grateful. Making a gratitude list is a good place to start to brighten my day.

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Smile. Say something nice about yourself. Make a list of your blessings. ~ Jay Wren

Blessings

Believe, Continuing Professional Development, Emotional Intelligence, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Success

It is your responsibility to stop thinking negative thoughts about yourself before they become fixed in your mind as beliefs. Smile. Say something nice about yourself. Make a list of your blessings.

Smile

There are many things that you can do to calm your jitters.  Perhaps the most overlooked way is simply to smile.  People smile when they are happy.  And equally important is that smiling can help you feel happy.  “Fake ’till you make it” is an ambiguous term.  Some people see it as a disingenuous way of faking your skills.  Another view is that faking confidence can help you gain confidence. A smile triggers thoughts that generate happiness.
The smiley face emoji says to other people you approve of what they have to say.  Smiling has a similar effect.  It tells people you approve of them.  It creates trust and helps people open up to you.

You are generating charisma.  People find your presence attractive.  Your smiling helps people feel more confident and comfortable being around you.  In turn, they smile and you feel confident from their signal of approval.

A frown will chase away friends.  Ah, but there is something about a smile that attracts people and draws people to you.

So, let it go.  When you see people, start with a smile.  As people approach, nod and smile.  When you are shaking hands with people, look at them and smile.

Social Anxiety: Is It Killing Your Career?

“Don’t let the world change your smile.  Let your smile change the world.”  A Work in Progress by Connor Franta

Social anxiety is common.  People who are shy are not the only people who experience social anxiety.  People who are confident about what they say or do around friends and family may feel social anxiety when they are among strangers or in front of an audience.

Social anxiety can make you avoid opportunities for work, fun, and networking.  It can cut your opportunities for leadership roles.  Your anxiety can generate signals that make it harder for people to reach out to you.

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Wouldn't it be great if you could make everyone on the Internet either agree with you or shut the heck up? Jay Wren

Why Intelligent People Say Stupid Things on the Internet

Believe, Emotional Intelligence, Social Media

Wouldn’t it be great if you could make everyone on the Internet either agree with you or shut the heck up?  You betcha.  I’ve tried.  But they don’t shut up.  They just come back and post more stuff to tick you off.  I can either embrace them or avoid them.

Emotions and Critical Thinking

Beliefs are convictions or assumptions that people hold to be true, even if they can’t be proven or disproven. When issues challenge our beliefs and stir our emotions, we find comfort in seeking information to confirm our beliefs. To think critically, we must free ourselves from our emotions. However, religious, political, and cultural beliefs are not like math or chemistry. These beliefs vary based on ideas that make us feel safe and accepted.

The Risks of  Saying Stupid Stuff on the Internet

Wow, the Internet is immediate and permanent.  And that’s a long time!  I see screen captures of deleted Tweets, Facebook posts, and Instagram on the Internet all the time.

I have posted and deleted material I later thought might possibly be sketchy.  When my gut tells me that I am posting something sketchy, I side with my gut. There is absolutely nothing I can post in a forum that is worth my reputation.

Trolling and Trolls

I love Internet forums.  I read forums for fun and for information.

But forums have a sneaky way of getting readers into a blind date with a troll.  A few months ago, I made the mistake of giving my opinion as opposed to the facts on a forum, only to find that a troll challenged me to explain myself.  Answering the person would only have made the conversation grow.  How wonderful, I could have a relationship with a troll!  I deleted the comment.

On a gut level, the idea of trolling has some appeal.  You know, you create a sneaky identity just to sound off with your opinions and set people right.  But this tactic has a price, especially when people lift your covers.  I read an article a few months ago about a politician who spent $35,000 to find the identity of a troll.  And he found him!

Occasionally, I read an offensive post, something intended to tick people off, at least tick some people.  These posts have a magic for creating rants and counter rants.  People who know how to troll take as much or more pleasure in making people angry as they do in attracting people who agree with them.  Reacting to trolling just raises the post in forum streams.  I just let it go, let it go, let it go.  ♫ ♫ ♫

How to Lose Friends and Lose Influence: Talk about Politics on the Internet

The web is rife with political stuff during political seasons.  Most people have a bias more than a brain when it comes to politics.  Politicians do not give people information.  They give people sound bites, clickbait and headlines to chum the waters for political fish.  People can rise to the bait suck it up.  But political chum is less cool in business and social forums. When I see people posting chum in my Internet feeds, I unfollow them.  See ya, not.  Don’t want your tweets. Don’t want your face on Facebook.  Don’t want your political wisdom on LinkedIn. No, no, no, not now, not ever.

I don’t unfriend them or disconnect from them all the time.  I just unfollow Friends Who Post Politics on the Internet.

Beliefs and claims are important elements in critical thinking because they provide the foundation for reasoning and evaluating evidence. Beliefs are convictions or assumptions that a person holds to be true, even if they can’t be proven or disproven. They often shape a person’s perspective and understanding of the world. Claims, on the other hand, are statements that can be evaluated based on evidence. In critical thinking, it is important to distinguish between beliefs and claims. One should not take their beliefs as fact without evaluating the evidence and reasoning behind them. Additionally, one should evaluate claims by examining the evidence and reasoning presented, and considering alternative perspectives.It is also important to be aware of one’s own beliefs, and to be open to re-evaluating them in light of new evidence. This allows for more accurate and fair evaluations of claims.Overall, critical thinking requires a balance of considering one’s own beliefs and claims, while also evaluating the evidence and reasoning behind them.

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Great leaders have things in common. They also have different ways to find their individual greatness.

Uniquely Great

Believe, Continuing Professional Development, Emotional Intelligence, Gratitude, Leadership

Great leaders have things in common. They also have different ways to find their individual greatness.

Here are eight ways you can find your own individual greatness. 

Find the beat of your own drum and march to it. 

It is so easy for me to get distracted and off course when I look at what other people are doing and imitate those people. What I often find is that the direction that those people are going is completely off track from where I want to be. If I can just trust the beat of my drum, I can stay on task, trust my instincts, and create work that is original and produces fantastic results. 

Be happy today. 

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. ” Buddha

Happiness is an inside job. When I feel sad, I acknowledge that I am sad. I do not focus on the things that I believe are making me sad. Often my feelings come along and I seem to find ideas to hang them on. I admit that I am sad, I experience the feeling of sadness, and I let it pass on its way. If I do not attach ideas to my feelings, most of the time my feelings only hang around for a minute or two, and I get a fresh, often invigorating sense of my world. 

Focus on doing things accurately. 

My baseball coaches said see the ball and hit the ball. In football, the coaches said see the ball and catch the ball. Watch the baseball all the way into your bat. Watch the football all the way into your hands and arms. 

Create new things instead of perfecting old things. 

I have worked drafts of articles so many times that I have lost track of what I had in mind when I started writing the article. I have found that the best way to work on any project and carry it forward to the finish is to write a statement of what I want to do. Second, I create an outline of the things that I need to do to do the task. Third, I fill in the details of completing the task. Whether I am washing my car or writing an article, the process of the same. 

Keep projects simple. 

The steps are pretty much the same for each project

Wash Car Write Article 
Tools: bucket, soap, sponge, towels, water hose Tools: Laptop
Spray the car.  List paragraph headings
Sponge wash car.  Write material to match

headings. 
Rinse the car.  Proofread the article. 
Dry the car.  Post the article on my website. 

Finding Your Individual Greatness through Personal Growth

Emphasize the things that are working and build on those things. 

Sometimes it is easy for me to get off track, discouraged, and lose my sense of direction. When this happens, I can focus on the things that I did when things were working and simply repeat those things. 

Keep an open mind to new ideas to simplify and make your life easier. 

I see new, simple, even free ways to do the same things that have been a struggle. I created the table above in Microsoft Word. For anyone who has ever tried to insert a table in a website, you will know that tables make some material easier to read and the table can be a challenge to create and support through editing. 

Take criticism as suggestions that can help you. 

I remember working with an applicant on her resume. She told me that the things that I told her she had already covered with other recruiters and had even had her resume written professionally. I said simply that I understood and that the only thing that mattered is that she manages her resume in the way that she feels will be most effective for getting her interview. 

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