The Power of Beliefs
In my opinion, this book by best-selling author and positive psychology expert Shawn Achor is designed to dispel the notion that you have no control over your destiny. Rather, beliefs have serious sway. In fact, the author of The Happiness Advantage demonstrates, with hard data and research, that changing your beliefs affects outcomes.
Take joy and gratitude. FOMO has a lot to do with missing out on happiness because of the false belief that others have it so much better (aka social media) and that if we only had X or Y, our lives would be complete. Tied directly to this misnomer is a study demonstrating how FOMO can lead to depression and loneliness, the feeling that “we’re not enough” based on social and media streams.
This is one way strategic targeting (sales and marketing are great at this) can propel us to believe their “cure” we’re currently missing out on will solve all of life’s problems. The author then explains the proven theory that trading FOMO for gratitude not only improves disposition but also has significant positive health benefits. But FOMO is one example of what Shawn calls the Four Horsemen of the Modern World—emotional and physical states that are crippling our society.
But alas, the beauty of this book is its science-backed proof that mindset can conquer these Horsemen.
The first section outlines the connections among behavior, beliefs, and results. In your core, you know this to be true. Think about it. As your mind focuses on a certain outcome, you consciously and subconsciously behave in ways that increase the likelihood of that result. This book offers evidence to support that theory.
The next part of the book focuses on the “Seven Core Beliefs” that underlie all possibilities.
I’ve stated it so because understanding and adopting these can vastly improve outcomes, health, and overall quality of life. Trust me, when you delve into them, you will understand. Returning to the earlier example, the belief of “I Am Grateful” grounds us in the present rather than resents us in the future. In other words, we stop the missing-out mindset and helplessness triggered by what we think we don’t have.
I recognize that I am hardly doing The Power of Beliefs justice with these cursory summaries, so let me try to impress upon readers that this book is not only designed to help us regain control but also to offer a set of core beliefs that, once adopted, can make all the difference.
It’s always amazing to me how much power our minds have.
We see time and again, examples of athletes and achievers who’ve overcome impossible odds by altering their mindset and beliefs. This book provides a roadmap for all of us to do the same.
I want to close by reiterating my argument that everyone should read this book, emphasizing my favorite section—Part Three. Thank you, Shawn, for sharing your personal experiences and offering practical tools to inspire positive change. I’ve found “Neural Landscaping” and “Mantras” to be particularly helpful in rewiring my beliefs.
The Power of Beliefs is not only another home run for Shawn Achor, but it’s also a win for all of us, no matter our age or circumstance.
Book and Image Courtesy of Crown Publishing and NetGalley
