All personal breakthroughs begin with a change in beliefs.
-- Tony Robbins
As noted earlier this week, changing our minds (especially others') is an interesting dynamic.
This may mostly be because of the way what we think is formed. Ultimately, it seems we are rarely convinced of something by theory alone. We become convinced of things more largely by forces that resemble the way waves on a beach shape it — relentless repetition, especially when combined with negativity and fear.
Here's an example:
Many people believe morality is declining — but it may be an illusionSo, what really impacts changing of the mind the most?
It is more often when information impacts something personal for us that our thinking embraces its ability to adapt. Otherwise it rarely changes (at least quickly) and, more often, it is simply affirmed (repetition). In other words, proximity to different information can often trump the ideological. If we maintain distance from anything that we aren't already familiar and comfortable with, our thinking (how we see things) remains largely the same.
When have you changed your mind about something? What contributed most to causing that to happen?
An amazing and inspiring example of how breakthroughs of the mind (and action) can occur:
