A belief is a feeling of certainty about something. If you say you are creative, all you’re really saying is, ‘I feel certain that I am creative”. That certainty allows you to tap into resources that allow you to exhibit creativity. But often our lack of belief, or lack of certainty, causes us not to be able to use the capacity that resides within us.
If you really believe you are creative, how do you know you’re creative? You probably have some references to support this idea. Maybe people have told you that you’re creative. Maybe strangers have reacted to your art. You have experiences to back up the idea. But how do you know if your belief is a true belief?
The answer is that it doesn’t matter if it is true. What matters is if it is empowering. Your belief can be real or imaginary, accurate or inaccurate - even our own personal experiences are distorted by our own personal perspective.
What if your belief is that you are not creative? You will probably never do anything creative in your life. People often develop limiting beliefs about who they are and what they’re capable of. Because they haven’t succeeded in the past, they believe that they won’t succeed in the future. As a result, because of their fear of pain, they begin to focus on being “realistic”. They say, “ Let’s be realistic, I haven’t a creative bone in my body”. Out of fear, they develop beliefs that cause them to hesitate, to not give their all - and they get limited results.
If you’re going to make an error in life, err on the side of overestimating your capabilities. If you develop the absolute sense of certainty that powerful beliefs provide, then you can get yourself to accomplish virtually anything, including those things that other people are certain are impossible.
Next time, “Be an Optimist in Your Beliefs”
