Beliefs are formed through experience, so it is small wonder we hold on to them with a firm, vice-like grip.

Since a belief is accepted as being true we continue to find the evidence to support and confirm this view.

When you think something is true you will always find the proof.

We make such a huge unconscious investment in some of our beliefs.
We rarely stop to ask:
Is this belief actually true? And has it served its purpose?

Not only can a significant problem have has its roots in a belief, the belief itself can be a major part of the problem.

So, if a belief causes a problem it makes practical sense to challenge and change the belief.

But, how are beliefs formed?

Let’s take a scientific approach.

It can be asserted that all events including human actions and the choices made are fully determined by preceding events.

This is a deterministic, scientific and philosophical point of view.
In other words, cause and effect.

In physics it can be stated that the variables of a system and the forces acting on the system will determine the values of the same variables at a later time.

One thing determines another.

This is the natural laws of physics in action.

Superstar scientists such as Newton and Einstein expressed their theories in terms of deterministic equations.
Mind you, it can bring into question philosophically whether freedom of choice actually exists.

Now, in deterministic physics, all processes are time-reversible.
This ultimately means that a process can be reversed through time, though this theory has been hotly disputed with some phenomena.

Beliefs are not facts.
They generally can’t be proven.
“I am a slow learner”, kind of thinking.

However, they do become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Even though it makes sense to subscribe to cause and effect – very much in the vanguard of NLP thinking, a scientific approach doesn’t fit perfectly when it comes to beliefs, given emotion is hardly scientific.

Men are from Mars and women are from Venus after all!

The consequences of how we think, how we feel, and how we act produces the way we behave and it is based on what we believe to be certain – what we believe to be true.

Many beliefs we have formed have outlived their usefulness and can easily be questioned with just a modicum of scrutiny.

Of course, it is necessary to get out of your comfort zone to do this given habits are notoriously tough to break.

Changing a belief can open up areas of your life that were closed to you.

By adopting a deterministic stand it can be readily accepted that beliefs have been learned through time, and can be unlearned.
Great!
But how?

Beliefs can be challenged ironically enough by adopting a scientific position – all facts must be proven.

Start by writing down your beliefs.
What you measure you can change.
Begin by keeping this simple.
We will be doing more on limiting beliefs as we go along.

Once you identify a limiting belief you can begin to challenge its authority, its hold on you.

What does it allow you to do and what does it prevent?
Does it stop you from moving towards something you would love to have?

Ask these questions:

At this point a person can come up with ideas on how to move forward towards a goal.

You can reinforce this process by acting “As if” the new belief is true and by doing this a whole new way of behaving can emerge.