“Possunt, quia posse videntur.” They can because they think they can – Virgil

This is no unique idea and it has been widely spread but its actualisation is a whole other story. You are likely to have heard “you can put anything you put your mind to” many times; I know I did as a child but its significance doesn’t fully register in the mind of a youngster whose evidence of the world is limited. 

If you told a 3 year old that you saw a flying unicorn they are quite likely to believe you for lack of contradicting evidence (much the contrary to an adult’s more solidified perception!) This idea can lead to plenty of lessons (why having a healthy portion of young malleable-minded employees in a workforce is conducive to innovation, etc.) but something I’ve been thinking about is changing a lack of self-belief to its total opposite- how can we become those who can?

Our beliefs come from experience and evidence- if we see a flying unicorn we too would alter our beliefs (common sense would tell you that you may have been spiked). Likewise, a feedback loop of testing one’s negative self-belief and seeing positive returns is a sure way to dispel any doubts. 

Herein lies a problem though. As Henry Ford put it “there are two types of people: those who think they can, and those who think they can’t. And they’re both right.” The inverse law of the principle of self-belief is just as true. Well one way for us to get rid of faulty beliefs is to break down our reasons for having them, ideally writing them down, and getting to their root cause. If someone has a strong belief on something, don’t fight them on it, get them to explain every step that got them there and it’s likely they will no longer be so sure. 

Another way to help someone else change their mind is present new evidence to them. Of course going out and getting a standing ovation on your first public speech is unlikely but it’s good news if you dont do so well the first time round, you will know there is work to be done. It is much better to embrace loss and seek success through failure, then to seek supporting evidence to deepen your confirmation bias. 

Plenty of events can lead people to doubt themselves, imposter syndrome is indiscriminate, but reaching a point of self assuredeness will prove to be a magnet from the future. Of course nothing can ever be certain, all sorts of unplanned things happen, both good and bad. Self-belief is but one of thousands of tools we can use to bring success to our lives but thought, faith, planning and desire in your life will surely come together and deliver. 

Life will give you what you bargain for if you bear the task, but not a penny more - Napoleon Hill

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