Thoughts are not facts

We struggle to distinguish thoughts from facts. 

Our mind is skilled at turning thoughts into stories about what might happen if we fail, try something new, or stick out too much. 

These kinds of stories help keep us safe and prevent us from taking too many “risks.”

And we tell ourselves such good stories about the limits of our abilities, the quality of our work, and what other people think about us, that we completely lose sight of the difference between what’s a fact and what’s simply a thought. 

Consider how often you create a story about a future version of events that involves you missing an opportunity, fumbling a project, losing a client, or making a big mistake. 

We play out future scenarios like this all day long, with differing degrees of intensity.

In doing so, we end up talking ourselves out of opportunities, avoiding changes, or holding back our true intentions - because the stories make us afraid, and keep us nice and safe. 

But when we look closely, we realize that there’s often very little evidence, if any, to support that future version of events. 

The vision we had about us messing up, fumbling the project, losing the client, or failing at the new venture - those are all thoughts, not facts.  

Try this: 

Write down phrases that are connected to a story you may be telling yourself: “It’s not going to work,” “I’m not going to make it,” “I won’t get chosen for this opportunity,” “They’re not going to like it,” and so on. 

Next, go line by line and ask yourself: is this a thought or a fact? What evidence do I have to back up this statement? 

Remember that a fact is not a suspicion, an inference, your best guess, or an example of a past situation that you use to project what could or might happen in the future. 

I think you’ll find the overwhelming majority if not every single thing you write down will be a thought or an assumption that has little basis in fact. 

Finally, if you come across a belief you want to change, ask this question: What do I have the ability to influence? In other words, what actions can you take to address this?

When you ask this question, you move from being a passive observer to an active participant. 

When you focus on action, you move from being a story-teller to a story-creator.  

Go have a great workday.