Why Certainty Is a Limiting Belief | The Probabilist . com

Why Certainty Is a Limiting Belief December 15, 2006

Posted by The Probabilist in : [Articles], Consciousness, Emotions, Gratitude, Health, Personal Growth, Philosophy, Purpose, Beliefs, Responsibility, Vision, Wealth , trackback

In the about page is a definition of a probabilist. I’d like to explain myself with greater detail why being certain about anything and everything you can think of can be a limiting belief and a limiting model of reality. The point is also to show why uncertaintly isn’t chaotic, unbalanced or without clear directions.

The best way to introduce this concept is through a great quote I’m having trouble finding an author to. “When you decide what is, you limit yourself from what could be.” Whether these are the exact words or not, their meaning and impact make a lot of sense to me. Your consciousness may need several uplifting or downcasting jolts that help you to awaken and embrace this concept so that it’s a part of your understanding of how the universe and the reality you live in works.

Here are a few examples to better illustrate this view. Did Columbus listen to the common belief that the earth is definitely flat? Did Copernicus listen to the common belief that the earth is definitely the center of the solar system? Did the Wright brothers listen to the common belief that man definitely cannot fly? And did Darwin listen to the common belief that man is definitely separate and superior to animals?

No, they all wanted more evidence of the opposite.

Am I then saying that they are definitely right? Not entirely. I haven’t went around the world, haven’t seen for myself that the sun is at the center of the solar system and I can’t visually see the pattern of species evolving. But what these people have discovered appears more accurate than what was commonly believed prior to their discoveries. They saw the possibility that things may be different than what they seem, and took action. This is the power of being open-minded. It’s the ability to question the status quo of what is, and start wondering what can be. It’s the ability to leave doors open for higher and improved understanding about the nature of things.

Now consider the following opinions. Diseases occur because you attract them. You can live on two hours of sleep per day. You can live a life without any setbacks and misfortunes. You can eliminate any negative feelings you want from your reality - hate, sorrow, disgust, jealousy, worry, pride, anxiety, fear, craving, vanity etc. You can attract all the health, wealth, relationships, happiness and peace you seek. All you need to do is claim them. If you believe these opinions to be incorrect, unattainable or unimaginable, then that’s the reality you will exist in. But if you constantly increase your options, awareness and most of all possibilities and likelihood that all of these ideas may be proven true, then all you need to do is choose to test them for yourself. That’s what great men and women have done and do every single day.

If something doesn’t work or a new belief you tried didn’t present any valid proof, then you can always return back into your comfort zone and try something else. Failing doesn’t make you a failure, not doing anything is what does. You can only lose what you already have, if you decide to discard it. And that only happens after you discover something improved to your liking - something that pushes your whole being and consciousness to a new level. That’s when you have the choice to leave the old you behind and embrace the new You, version 1.01.

This is partly the reason why uncertainty doesn’t make life inconsistent, problematic or overwhelming. There is only one productive direction and it is up. Granted, sometimes you may be perplexed as to which choices result in an upward state of awareness. The bottom line is, the more choices you face and decisions you make, the better the outcomes and your capability to make good decisions. And most importantly, keep exploring new choices and possibilities constantly. The stagnating individuals of today are the ones that deny and avoid making decisions. Thus, they live the lives of others.

The second reason why you shouldn’t take anything for granted is the amount of gratitude you have the power to feel towards your existence. Tomorrow you could be hit by a car and sitting in a wheel chair for the rest of your life. How about losing all of your possessions in a fire or natural disaster. Or losing someone you love to the afterlife. These are also the possibilities and probabilities you may be ignoring because you’ve chosen to neglect them. So stop taking your reality for granted, both the positive and the negative, and start pondering if there’s a truth in the saying that life is what you make it.