Beliefs
After writing about my inner monologue, the next topic in the “Leadership Step by Step” book is about beliefs.
Peter Drucker told the parable of the three stonecutters in his 1954 book The Practice of Management:
Many years ago, a passerby saw three workers cutting stones in a quarry. Though they were doing similar work, one looked unhappy, another looked content, and the third looked overjoyed. The passerby asked them what they were doing.
The unhappy stonecutter replied, “I’m doing what it takes to make a living.”
The content one answered, “I am a stonemason practicing my craft.”
The overjoyed one looked up with a visionary glance and said, “I am building the greatest cathedral in the land.”
Excerpt From: Joshua Spodek. “Leadership Step by Step”
It’s an interesting tale on many levels. Though the three stonecutters are doing the same thing, it is a matter of perspective as to what the task means. This of course comes down to beliefs. They are such a strong part of our make-up.
What strikes me is simply how easy it is to tell a different story about something one does. I water the plants so they don’t die can become I am growing a magic garden! In the end, one belief makes the task a chore and the other gives it meaning, turning it into a pleasure. But is it really this simple, especially if it is habitual or a belief held for many years?
The related exercise from the book involves writing down my beliefs on paper. I have just started so I am only discovering what is happening, but my first impression is that I am surprised at how many negative beliefs I have. Awareness is of course the first step to being able to change them. In general I consider myself a positive person, but the amount coming out as I was thinking of them was quite staggering. There were some similarities to the inner monologue exercise that I wrote about previously, though this time it wasn’t to do with my mood as such. With the inner monologue, negative thoughts came out that were quite harsh, depending on my mood. With beliefs, there are plenty of core beliefs, that though I try to believe otherwise through affirmations and “knowing better”, they are actually still there! Perhaps I am suppressing the negative beliefs and that is why they aren’t moving on?
Like a habit, a belief is perhaps hard to change (a belief in itself!). Well maybe it just takes some effort. I do believe that it is possible to change all beliefs! And perhaps if I believe that it is easy to change my beliefs, I will make more progress! Am I coming full-circle here?