You generate a massive stream of thoughts daily. Many are negative, and most repeat. Policing each one would be a full-time job you didn’t sign up for. No wonder willpower fails here.
Picture a tree. Roots are your beliefs. Fruits are your thoughts. If the roots are bitter, the fruits will be too. Instead of chasing every thought (fruit), strengthen or replace the belief (root). Healthier roots, better fruit—consistently.
You’ve already seen how needs, values, and talents & skills shape your life. Now it’s time to ensure your beliefs support your goals, values, and needs—so your thoughts help you, not fight you.
When beliefs align with what you want, your mind follows:
Thoughts become more useful and less hostile
Action feels easier, like you’re walking with the wind
Progress compounds because you’re not undoing yourself
Untended thoughts act like untrained dogs: they run off. Training starts at the leash, not the horizon. That leash is your belief system—what you hold as true about yourself, others, and the world.
Spot a recurring negative thought. Example: “I always mess this up.”
Ask: what belief feeds it? Example: “I’m not capable,” or “Mistakes mean I’m failing.”
Test the belief. Where did it come from? Is it always true? What are three counterexamples?
Upgrade the belief. Choose one accurate, supportive alternative: “I learn fast with practice,” “Mistakes are data.”
Plant it daily. Write the new belief and rehearse it at the trigger moment (before a meeting, while learning, after feedback).
Watch the fruit. Notice how your automatic thoughts start to shift after a week of reps.
Why this works: Thoughts grow from beliefs. Changing the root quietly reshapes the stream of thoughts without wrestling each one.
Which single belief, if upgraded, would change the most thoughts this month?
Where do your current beliefs contradict your needs or values?
What is one situation this week where you’ll rehearse your upgraded belief on purpose?
You don’t need to win a never-ending battle with every thought. Change the belief underneath, and the mind follows. Train the roots; enjoy better fruit.
— Sandro Formica, PhD
Founder of Permanently Happy (questions at [email protected])
Keynote Speaker | Transforming Leaders & Organizations Through Positive Leadership & Personal Branding | Director, Chief Happiness Officer Certificate Program
Happiness Fundamentals | Needs | Values | Talents & Skills | Thoughts & Beliefs | Emotions | Empathetic Communication | Imagination | Life Purpose | Life Plan
