Self-Reflection - Beliefs
Related Chapters: Chapter 18 - About Belief • Chapter - Testing our Beliefs and Knowledge
Purpose
Our beliefs influence nearly every aspect of our lives. They shape how we interpret events, make decisions, judge ourselves and others, and imagine the future. Some beliefs are based on careful evidence and experience. Others are inherited from our families, culture, education, or life experiences. Many serve us well. Others may deserve reconsideration as we continue to learn and grow.
This reflection is not about determining whether your beliefs are right or wrong. Instead, it invites you to consider how you form, examine, and occasionally revise the beliefs that guide your life.
Reflection Statements
Scoring:
1 = Rarely 2 = Sometimes 3 = Often 4 = Almost Always
Write your score in the blank preceding each statement.
_______ 1. I can usually explain why I hold my strongest beliefs.
_______ 2. I occasionally examine beliefs I have held for many years.
_______ 3. I am willing to change an important belief when convincing evidence supports doing so.
_______ 4. I try to distinguish between facts, opinions, assumptions, and beliefs.
_______ 5. I enjoy learning why thoughtful people sometimes reach conclusions different from my own.
_______ 6. I recognize that my upbringing has influenced many of my beliefs.
_______ 7. I am comfortable saying, "I'm not sure," when the evidence is incomplete.
_______ 8. I can disagree with someone without assuming they are unintelligent or immoral.
_______ 9. I sometimes discover that my emotions influence what I find believable.
_______ 10. I make an effort to understand opposing viewpoints before rejecting them.
_______ 11. Learning that I was mistaken usually increases my curiosity rather than threatening my identity.
_______ 12. I try to avoid accepting claims simply because they are widely believed.
_______ 13. I sometimes ask myself, "How would I know if this belief were mistaken?"
_______ 14. I recognize that intelligent, ethical people can sincerely disagree on important issues.
_______ 15. I try to hold my strongest beliefs with both conviction and humility.
_______ 16. I hope to leave this world with wiser beliefs than the ones I held when I entered it.
Total Score: ________
Looking Beyond the Reflection
Before reviewing your responses, pause for a moment.
- Which statement gave you the most pause?
- Which belief has changed you the most during your lifetime?
- Which belief has brought the greatest benefit to your life?
- Is there a belief you have never seriously examined?
- Which statement would someone who knows you well answer differently?
- What important question do you wish had been included?
Sometimes one thoughtful question reveals more than an entire questionnaire.
If You Wish to Calculate a Total
Add your ratings.
Possible scores range from 16 to 64.
The purpose of this total is not to measure the "quality" of your beliefs. Rather, it reflects your openness to examining, understanding, and occasionally revising them.
52–64
Your responses suggest that you approach your beliefs with both conviction and curiosity. You appear willing to examine your thinking while recognizing that learning is a lifelong process.
40–51
Like most people, you seem to balance confidence in many of your beliefs with an openness to continued learning. This reflection may simply encourage you to remain curious.
28–39
Your responses suggest there may be opportunities to examine some long-held assumptions more intentionally. Growth often begins by asking better questions rather than finding immediate answers.
16–27
Most of us inherit many of our beliefs without consciously examining them. Your responses may simply be an invitation to become more curious about how your beliefs developed and how they continue to shape your life.
One Small Experiment
During the next week, notice one opinion or belief you express with confidence.
Instead of asking, "How can I defend this?", ask yourself:
"How did I come to believe this, and what evidence would cause me to reconsider it?"
You don't need to change your belief.
Simply become more curious about its history.
Reflection Notes (Optional)
Use this space to capture any thoughts, insights, questions, surprises, or intentions that came to mind while completing this reflection.
Final Reflection
Beliefs are among the most powerful forces shaping human behavior. They influence not only what we think, but what we notice, whom we trust, how we treat others, and the choices we make each day. Some beliefs deserve to be held firmly. Others deserve to be reexamined from time to time. Wisdom may not come from having perfect beliefs, but from remaining humble enough to keep learning throughout our lives.