Overcoming Bias in the Thinking Process

If that sounds like a technical title for a psychology tutorial, relax. We’re going to keep everything blissfully simple and try to offer some practical insights into how our minds sometimes trap us into unhelpful and limiting beliefs.

People are always clinging to what they want to hear, discarding the evidence that doesn’t fit with their beliefs, giving greater weight to evidence that supports their bias.

― Paula Stokes

If you’re ever wondered why people tend to adhere so strongly to their beliefs, you’re not alone. The subject has occupied the attention of some of the world’s great thinkers. From seventeenth century philosophers to modern-day, pioneering psychologists, the way we gravitate towards conclusions on the flimsiest of evidence has been a puzzling human characteristic for thousands of years.

The strange fact is that we tend to believe things - because we choose to believe them.

The critical question that arises from this realisation is to ask ourselves whether our beliefs are helping us in our quest for success, happiness and self-expression – or whether they’re hindering us.

People put a lot less effort into picking apart evidence that confirms what they already believe.

― Peter Watts

The first step in countering this widespread human tendency to believe things because they conform to what we expect to be true or valid, is to learn to question everything, including our beliefs and our view of the world. This is the first step on the pathway to personal freedom. By questioning our perspective and by looking critically at the results we’re creating in our lives, we can determine whether our belief systems are useful, reliable, empowering – or not.

We have minds that possess the ability to question, analyse, dissect and evaluate everything we encounter. Unfortunately, we learn to assume a great deal about the world around us because our assumptions support the illusion that our lives are thus much easier to manage. The less we have to think about and analyse, the less challenging our lives can be. Research suggests that we’re responding automatically to about 95% of the events that are happening around us. We tune into news channels and social media sites that feel comfortable and conform most closely to our beliefs and expectations.

Your mind constantly seeks proof that will confirm your beliefs. If you have negative beliefs, your mind will seek to prove those negative thoughts. If you have positive beliefs, your mind will seek to prove those positive thoughts. Therefore, it is important to be mindful of all our beliefs.

― Akiroq Brost

Developing a greater awareness of the connection between what you believe and the outcomes in your life can help to disengage the layers of automatic, knee-jerk reactions that are shaping many of the most important areas of your life. We need a healthy measure of critical analysis to expose our less-than-useful beliefs to the rigours of logic. When we ask ourselves why we believe something or demand to know how we reached our current conclusions, we switch on the higher brain functions that can shed light on our thinking processes and lead us to better understanding.

The key is to become more aware of how your beliefs are shaping your view of the world. And of yourself.

You might be wondering at this point why everyone isn’t working every single day on their own biases. The answer is because people tend to become deeply attached to the way they see the world. And that’s why you might encounter unexpected resistance from your emotional foundations. It’s as if your beliefs have grown roots that touch the very depths of your being. They have a habit of resisting any attempts to dig them up.

So, it takes courage to look at any part of your life and say “Well, this isn’t working.” It takes courage to accept responsibility for all aspects of your life and examine any area where your beliefs and your behaviour are getting in the way of your progress. It is immensely liberating to call your view of the world into question and seek a clearer, more helpful perspective. But, despite the inevitable resistance, that’s the easiest way to confront damaging, limiting and self-sabotaging beliefs. It’s one of the truly great ways to set yourself free and turn your life around.

The best place to begin is by looking at any areas of your life that are unsatisfactory. These are the areas where your beliefs and biases are most likely to show up most easily. If something’s not right, that’s an area that’s crying out for attention and for some form of correction. Make a clear decision right now that you’re not going to tolerate the problem any longer and examine how your thoughts and feelings are influencing any situation. You might be surprised to discover that your attitudes and behaviours are an integral part of the problem! And here lies the motivation to overhaul your beliefs and identify any other areas where your view of the world is getting in the way of your hopes and dreams and aspirations.

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Greg Parry created The Wellness Foundation and the Cognitive Empowerment Programs specifically to help people master their stress, overcome their limitations and explore the power of their true potential.

If you enjoy these blogs, you can imagine how much fun it is to have Greg in the room as an inspirational and highly perceptive speaker. If you’d like to invite Greg to talk to your company or organisation or event, feel free to get in touch.

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