I recently listened to an audio book This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women, which is based on the NPR series This I Believe. If you are not familiar with the series, it is a collection of articles/statements provided by the famous to the unknown declaring the thing they believe most in. 

As I was listening to the 3-5 minute credo’s I began thinking about how this would be useful as a life coach.  While elements of it are similar to a mission statement or a life vision statement, it is nevertheless unique in that ones belief, may not necessarily be the same thing as one’s life mission.  Similarly, a single belief is in no way as grandiose or comprehensive as a vision.  The belief statement, however, may play a role in guiding the mission or the vision statement.  

Going through the audio book, one belief was presented after another and I started asking myself what it is that I consider to be my foundational belief.  The one belief that I would speak of if I had only 3 minutes to present it.  Much to my delight, when I began doing some more research, I found that NPR actually allowed people to write and submit their own personal statements online.  If you check their website you will see that you can submit your own by clicking here. 

My Belief as a Tool

I recommend that you write out your own personal belief as a tool in exploring your personal values, priorities, and motivations.  What you choose to write on may even surprise you.  Here are some guidelines that I would suggest - in doing this exercise;  I will keep by the NPR requirements as well such that you may submit it there should you so choose:

Writing out my belief

• Pick one belief.  The belief that calls to you.  The belief that either guides your actions, or you strongly feel should guide your actions
• Make it short - NPR guidelines are 350-500 words, which is about 3 minutes when read aloud
• Make it personal.  Tell a story such that you see how your life is intertwined in the belief.  It must be your belief, not that of others that you are regurgitating
• Give it a name such that you can refer to it and quickly inspire yourself when you call the principle for yourself by referring to the name you have given it
• Be truthful to yourself as you write it
• Visit the NPR essay writing tips

Using it as a tool

• Read your belief along with your mission statement and vision statement weekly until they are thoroughly engrained.  At that point read them monthly.
• Ask yourself how you are living by this belief.  Is it one that empowers you?  How would you benefit by taking more/different actions that align themselves with this belief?  Re-evaluate your beliefs with time, are they changing? 
• By definition this belief is the foundation from which you act on.  Embrace it if it moves you in the direction that you desire, consider empowering another belief if it is one which holds you back. 

Click here and listen to my podcast #5 for an audio version of the written belief below

Our power to create change (Doug’s Belief)

I believe in change.  I believe that change is the single truth that we can guarantee into infinity.  I believe that change can be consciously intended or passively accepted, and that what seems to be the absence of change - is in actuality change. 

When I look at my own life, the life of others I know, and the lives of those I’ve read and heard about - all I see is change.  I see my own life, how I transformed from a playful child, to a student athlete, to a salaried employee, to a business owner, to a husband and father, and how my body changed from being a healthy individual, to a cancer patient, back to a healthy individual again.  It amazes me how resilient we are to the unceasing and relentless constant of change. 

I believe that there is no such thing as controlling change, but that we have an incredible capacity to influence it.  I know with all my being that change comes as quickly or goes as slowly as the decision to take action toward a specific goal.  Upon deciding to take action, it may take  days, weeks, months, years or even generations to realize change.  Furthermore, over this time our goals, dreams and vision itself are subject to the whims of change - and that’s OK.  Like navigating the flow of a river, we influence our outcomes when we ride with the current rather than fighting against it.

I believe that the biggest choice we make as a member of the community we call Earth is that of the role we would like to play in creating change.  Every choice that we consciously intend or passively accept steers us towards a future that is constantly in flux - a creation of the decisions we make and the actions we take. 

Understanding and believing in our power to create change is a step towards building the future of our dreams.  Our connection with this power and a fundamental knowledge of the process of creating change provides hope and a sense of possibility, when and where little may have existed in the past.  Furthermore, one must see this possibility for themselves to believe in it.  Few can read or listen to a passage like this and simply buy into its principles without connecting to the meaning of the passage for themselves. 

With all this talk about consciously creating a future that is full of change, I often get caught up in this world of possibility of what is to come - rather than the world in which I live in at this very moment.  I believe that while we have an amazing capacity to create our future, that life takes place during the journey and not at the completion of our goal.  Living and enjoying life in the midst of relentless change is every bit as important as guiding and crafting what the future brings. 

This I believe.

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Related Articles:

• Book Review - This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women
• Developing the Vision
• Listen to my Podcast - #005 for an audio version of my ‘This I Believe’ Credo

Written by Doug Nau, The Wellness Coach, i-grow.net