Our Beliefs Are Like Train Tracks

Re-reading the book “Everything Is Figureoutable” by Marie Forleo, I was reminded of the massive influence our beliefs have in our everyday lives.

You’ve probably heard that 95% of the things we do and think are unconscious. This means that we’re operating on autopilot and playing out some predetermined script for the majority of the day.

What is that unconscious script?

Our beliefs.

The reason we rely so heavily on our subconscious mind is because we don’t have the capacity to think through everything that happens. If we had to pause and make a decision on absolutely everything that needs to happen, we wouldn’t get anything done and it’d be impossible to live a productive and sustainable life.

That’s when we tap into our unconscious mind to make decisions for us, and solve problems for us, without requiring conscious and effortful thought. Functionally what’s happening is the unconscious mind is pulling from past lessons and experiences to fill in the blanks for us in a way that keeps us as safe as possible.

In other words, our mind forms beliefs about who we are, and how we believe the world to be, which the unconscious mind uses to address everyday situations.

Literally everything we think and do passes through this filter. It’s an ever present influence that shapes our choices, behaviors, emotions, and thoughts.

With that understanding, that’s why I thought Marie Forleo’s quote about beliefs was so spot on. She said “Like a track running underneath a train, our beliefs determine where we go and how we get there.”

What’s at the root of this quote? If we want to change our lives, we must change our beliefs. If we want to go in a different direction we need to adjust the way the train tracks are taking us, or else we’ll keep reproducing the same results over and over again.

To make this actionable, there are two things I’d like you to consider. First is to get curious about your beliefs. If you feel a certain way that you don’t like, ask yourself what might have caused you to feel that way. If you feel yourself procrastinating or sabotaging your best intentions, reflect on what pre-existing belief might be creating the resistance.

Then second is actually changing your beliefs. Something Forleo explains in the book is that our beliefs are a choice. It’s in our power to control what we want to believe. My favorite way of replacing an old limiting belief with a new empowering belief is through consistent action, allowing your behavior to create the evidence your unconscious mind needs to update your belief system.

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