What is Belief?
Belief is a generalization created in response to one or several significant experiences. It can be the source of an opening up or a limitation. When we really believe in something, we congruently behave with that belief. So, beliefs are largely unconscious, patterned thinking processes.
We are born with the potential to feel, think, and believe and with many other mental and emotional faculties. Though we know that our beliefs change during our lifetime; the way we think changes, our inner states change as well as our feelings about someone or something changes, we still hold on to the belief we have. If a person is convinced on something, it becomes a fact for him/her, and this does not need any evidence to support it. Often people get feelings from internal images they make and it is useful to know that sometimes the most important thing is to find out the kind of picture that it is.
Depending on the quality of the beliefs entertained, a person will either succeed or fail in the area where they operate and if it turns out that the behaviour is incompatible with the beliefs, one will experience conflict-both internal and external. In such situation, the consequences might not be positive.
Being able to change any behaviour, we choose, is a prerequisite to live successfully. People consciously choose their beliefs but the fact is that, their beliefs are programmed into their mind at an early stage in life, through experience and environment. These beliefs create the inner and outer world of ‘Values’ for each one of us.
Belief Strategies to address ‘Values of Concern’:
There is nothing like RIGHT or WRONG, it is only the lenses through which an individual sees the world; these lenses are built through the strong belief system of the individual. But, sometimes, we understand the threats of some values which need to be addressed, for the betterment of a larger matter of concern. Since values are made through an individual’s belief system, it becomes difficult to reach to the core and address it. Most of the time, our positive intentions are even taken in the other way round, due to the way we address it, but we can choose a different way of approach to get the positive outcome. Belief strategies are the ways in which we maintain and hold beliefs, and through these strategies, we can, to an extent, resolve ‘Values of Concern’.
One such way is to become aware of a person’s values, so that we can not
only be a better communicator, but also develop a better relationship. People tend to be very protective of what they hold dear to them, especially their values and beliefs. They know that their values are very important to them. They live and die for those values. Secondly, when we sincerely want to help people, we need to experience their highest values, then only they tend to open up and bare their true soul to us, more quickly than they would to anyone else. Thirdly, when we accept a person’s values and respect those values, we build a bridge and create a powerful bond that makes it very easy for anyone to listen to our ideas, thoughts and feelings. It makes the task easy to address the concerns. Acceptance of someone else’s values is an act of unconditional love.
So, the best way to respect other person’s map of the world and to gain true rapport, is unconditional love, respect and acceptance, that will resolve conflicts, and we can address the positive outcome of the value system one has, to create the beautiful world we dream of.
Ms. Sagarika Goswami
Assistant Professor
Centre for Soft Skills
