I’m not sure where I first read it.
I just know that it resonated with the very core of my being. Love at first sight.
It may have been sometime around the seventh grade when I stumbled upon the mantra of Harvard psychologist turned counterculture icon, Timothy Leary:
“Question authority and think for yourself.”
YES!
While Dr. Leary’s words might have been the source of countless teenage rebellions, for me they were the fountainhead for taking back custody of my own mind. To begin sorting out what made sense and what did not.
As I’ve written numerous times before, many of the beliefs we learned from our various childhood authorities — the beliefs that can subconsciously govern the ways in which we think, feel, and behave as adults — make absolutely zero sense when we stop and objectively reflect on them.
I can get all scientific on you, breaking down how the fear center in your brain generated an entire worldview built upon associations learned during the first 3 years of life, but I’ll save it for our upcoming Money Goals masterclass. (January 3rd at 5pm PT)
Stay tuned.
The point is, if you want to change the results you’re currently creating in your life, you must examine and QUESTION the beliefs that underlie them.
Because to change a result without editing the beliefs — especially the beliefs you have about yourself — will always be an exercise in futility.
Which, by the way, is exactly why only 8% of New Years resolutions will be accomplished by this time next year. And 80% will fail before the second week of February.
Keep the beliefs, keep the results.
But when you question the beliefs and change them, you can change your entire life.
On today’s Finance Friday episode of the podcast, Joe Vitale discusses the connection between our beliefs and our reality, and how examining your beliefs can help you earn more money and reach your 2019 financial goals.
You can find today’s full clip here.
Enjoy today’s quote. Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!
My very Dear Sean,
For the 2nd time I am adopting a quote from you into my personal paradigm with thanks and attribution. First it was “JERF” as how to eat, and now my new email tagline is “Question authority and think for yourself.” ~ Timothy Leary.” To close and trusted friends and family I notified them in the following email:
Why I chose this new signature tagline:
“Question authority and think for yourself.” ~ Timothy Leary
Sean Croxton is one of “my people.” He’s a thinking man and keeps abreast of what’s goin’ down. His listserv is one of the few I still subscribe to.
I adopted his mantrum “JERF” Just Eat Real Food,” as soon as it came out. Now I’m appropriating another quote as my new tagline.
Timothy Leary’s words are more important than ever in an era when we’re bombarded on all sides by lies and bad advice–from a media that’s controlled, a corrupt and outdated “sick care (not “health care”) medical system, greed-motivated food manufacturers, and a government apparently gone terribly awry.
Any one of the above would be sufficient reason for “taking back custody of our own minds.” The Creator has endowed us with perfect, unerring Guidance. We need only to tune our minds to Divine Intuition to “walk the good road,” as my Native American friends put it.
Sean writes: “… if you want to change the results you’re currently creating in your life, you must examine and QUESTION the beliefs that underlie them,” the sad fact being that they originated in the first 3-7 years of our life. “Keep the beliefs, keep the results. But when you question the beliefs and change them, you can change your entire life.”
I personally prefer a life path guided and informed by adult, mature thinking–a tricky bit, since our subconscious kinda rules the roost. But the world is full of experts who’ve done the work and published information on how we can do our work. Yes, question them too, but do the work. It’s a lifetime process.
And in conclusion, my constant consolation and comfort is my blind faith and paradigm that “It’s all perfect,” even the conditions named above!
Why?
Because it happened.
Infinite Love and Gratitude,
Mom/Shira
P.S. The one belief I do not question—more unshakable faith than belief, and I was born with it is:
“There’s only One”–reflected in the Shma, “Adonai echad” and for Christians, “I and my Father are One.”
I just want to point out for accuracy. The Bible does not say that money is the root of all evil. The Bible says that the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.