airborne Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 Thus far, my main focus has been on identifying limiting beliefs, but in order to change, you have to get rid of those beliefs and replace them with positive, empowering beliefs. Let me just list a few positive global beliefs to set the tone for the beliefs and rules you might adopt in your own way and your own phrasing: Positive Global Beliefs: Life is full of unlimited possibility Every problem is a new challenge and an opportunity to grow I am fortunate to be healthy and alive I am capable of controlling my own destiny People are a source of knowledge, inspiration, and joy There is always a way to achieve what I'm committed to - Victor Sperandeo in Methods of A Wall Street Master Isn't it worse to replace self-limiting beliefs with wrong beliefs? I don't believe all the above "beliefs" are true. How do I discover what is actually true and then set the best beliefs? Also how do you determine if you have a "self-limiting" belief? I have some beliefs that *could* be considered that, just an e.g. I'm not smart/rich enough. But how do I know this isn't a valid belief? Also in setting means values, what is a rational target? Initially all my means values were set to ambitious figures. e.g. $100million or $7billion but now I'm told that this would be counter-productive to my happiness - which sort of seems valid its just I don't know what other method of rational targets I could use which would still keep me ambitious. FYI Sperandeo is an Objectivist. His first firm was called "Ragnar Options". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 (edited) Isn't it worse to replace self-limiting beliefs with wrong beliefs? Well it would be a change from false to false. All of the statements above if slightly modified are true. For example: Life is full of possiblities. Challenges can be good oportunities to grow. Although some things can happen to me by chance, I have a control over my own choices and actions and thus to a great extend I shape my own destiny. ect. How do I discover what is actually true and then set the best beliefs? Observation. Reality is your reference point. That is also a role of philosphy - it is a guide to life (which does not mean that you are excused from validating it in reference to reality - it just makes things considerably easier) Also how do you determine if you have a "self-limiting" belief? Does it further your life? Does it further your ultimate purpose in life? I have some beliefs that *could* be considered that, just an e.g. I'm not smart/rich enough. But how do I know this isn't a valid belief? Enough for what purpose? Do you mean smart as intellectual capacity or knowledgable? Second is gained by action and actually improves the first. Are the expectations you have for yourself reasonable for your stage in life, experience, skills? Also in setting means values, what is a rational target? Initially all my means values were set to ambitious figures. e.g. $100million or $7billion but now I'm told that this would be counter-productive to my happiness - which sort of seems valid its just I don't know what other method of rational targets I could use which would still keep me ambitious. Start by answering these questions: What is your ultimate purpose in life? What does it take to achieve it? What is your productive/career purpose in life? What do you need to do to make it happen? What are your other highest purposes in life (romance, family ect)? What steps you need to take to make those a reality for you? What are your hobbies/what hobbies you would like to have? What skills and resources do they require? Having a clear, explicit answers to those and keeping them always in mind is a great motivator because if you don't take the necessary steps they won't materialize. Edited December 11, 2007 by ~Sophia~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMeganSnow Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 Also how do you determine if you have a "self-limiting" belief? Self-limiting beliefs are any belief that either relies on something that is outside your control or conveys an aspect of negative universe premise. I'll put some examples side by side so you can make the comparison yourself: 1. positive belief -- Life is full of unlimited possibilities (I take this to mean unlimited in number, not unlimited in scope, which would contradict the law of identity.) self-limiting belief -- Opportunity knocks but once. 2. positive belief -- every problem is a new challenge and opportunity to grow self-limiting belief -- If I actually had the talent to achieve X, I wouldn't be having a problem. 3. positive belief -- I am fortunate to be healthy and alive. self-limiting belief -- I don't have enough to get everything that I want, so I'm unlucky. 4. positive belief -- I am capable of controlling my own destiny. self-limiting belief -- Some things you just can't control. 5. positive belief -- people are a source of knowledge, inspiration, and joy. self-limiting belief -- most people are jerks. 6. positive belief -- there is always a way to achieve what I'm committed to self-limiting belief -- sometimes love just ain't enough Furthermore, this is a form of self talk for developing the proper mindset, not a list of things that you actually believe to be universally true. (The point isn't to develop hopeless naivete.) The purpose of acting like these things are true is to motivate yourself to pursue and tackle everything that you possibly can, not to delude yourself into thinking you can do the impossible. That's why none of them are concrete goals, just general statements of benevolence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiberTodd Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Well, it's really hard to maintain the positive viewpoint without a certain degree of re-inforcement. If you try your very hardest each and every day and every day you just get crapped on by the rest of the world, it isn't exactly easy to wake up with a smile on your face and a song in your heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Well, it's really hard to maintain the positive viewpoint without a certain degree of re-inforcement. If you try your very hardest each and every day and every day you just get crapped on by the rest of the world, it isn't exactly easy to wake up with a smile on your face and a song in your heart. That reinforcement should be internal, emanating from an increase in personal satisfaction, from self pride. It is a private relationship you have with yourself. If you consistently doing what you consider you should and to the best of your ability - what is the reason for not waking up with a smile? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airborne Posted December 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 (edited) Start by answering these questions: What is your ultimate purpose in life? What does it take to achieve it? What is your productive/career purpose in life? What do you need to do to make it happen? What are your other highest purposes in life (romance, family ect)? What steps you need to take to make those a reality for you? What are your hobbies/what hobbies you would like to have? What skills and resources do they require? Isn't everyones ultimate purpose in life the same - happiness(if they're rational)? I know I have means values to get to means ends(love/romance, excitement, happiness, security... which all fall under happiness), but I don't have any "ultimate purpose". living life as man qua man is an ultimate purpose? Edited December 12, 2007 by airborne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
progressiveman1 Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Isn't everyones ultimate purpose in life the same - happiness(if they're rational)? Happiness is the highest moral purpose;it's an emotional response to the achievement of your values. What a purpose to your life means is the productive purpose each person chooses for himself. You figure out what you love to do and your main focus in life shifts towards this productive purpose. Typically it's a job career(for example, doctor, lawyer, chef, kung-fu artist, etc). This is important to have because it gives your life meaning, and not someone just living moment to moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 (edited) Isn't everyones ultimate purpose in life the same - happiness(if they're rational)? Yes but I included it because it is your reference point. If for example, you have gotten a medical degree but practicing medicine is not making you happy, your ultimate goal directs you back to the drawing board. So it is important to keep in mind why you doing what you doing. Eventhough in the abstract the ultimate purpose for any rational man is the same what it means specifically for each man differs. I know I have means values to get to means ends(love/romance, excitement, happiness, security... which all fall under happiness), I don't know exactly what you mean by means values. but I don't have any "ultimate purpose". You just said above that you know what that is. living life as man qua man is an ultimate purpose? It is not your ultimate purpose but it is a part of how you achieve it. Edited December 12, 2007 by ~Sophia~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aequalsa Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Well, it's really hard to maintain the positive viewpoint without a certain degree of re-inforcement. If you try your very hardest each and every day and every day you just get crapped on by the rest of the world, it isn't exactly easy to wake up with a smile on your face and a song in your heart. The rest of the world crapping on you only makes it difficult to be happy when the rest of the world has an impact on your self-esteem. When it is internnally generated, as Sophia mentioned, the behavior of others has little impact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiberTodd Posted December 18, 2007 Report Share Posted December 18, 2007 The rest of the world crapping on you only makes it difficult to be happy when the rest of the world has an impact on your self-esteem. When it is internnally generated, as Sophia mentioned, the behavior of others has little impact. Well I think self-esteem needs to have some material backing to it. Otherwise it's just like the fiat system instead of the gold standard. How can I prove to myself I'm worth anything when I can't even get a job? I could blame the economy for being bad in this area, I could blame the companies I applied to for not hiring, I could blame all these stupid circumstances but what it all boils down to is this: I don't have a job. I am unemployed. That puts me below all the worthless drug-addled teenage minds who get minimum wage to wank around at fast food joints all day. And as far as I'm concerned that means I really suck at life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMeganSnow Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 How can I prove to myself I'm worth anything when I can't even get a job? Ask yourself *why* you can't find a job. Is it because you're not trying very hard? Are there restrictions on you because you don't have a car? Do you not have sufficient education? Are you picky about the *type* of work you're willing to do? I'm having trouble finding work at the moment, but it's not hurting *my* self-esteem because I know the reasons for it and I know that I've handled the parts I *can* handle. I'm *able* to do the work, and getting any particular job besides that is out of my hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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