Money has some very weird effects on how we think and behave. Sometimes, it’s important to reflect on what money represents on a fundamental level, so that we can focus on the real things that affect our attitude to money and our ability to handle money issues well.
Money has a strange effect upon our perceptions. It can radically change our thinking and behaviors and this especially happens when social norms give way to market norms.
The previous post was all about how, in unplanned situations, humans tend not to have absolute standards of reference and instead judge things relative to the other immediate options available to them. Following on from that we can take a look at how our initial standards of reference are formed and the effect that that has upon our judgement and decisions.
Modern living has become uncertain and chaotic compared to the past one hundred years, outside of war. Old ‘tried and true’ systems that we used to depend upon no longer work. There are good reasons for this and there are ways to plot a more certain course through this sea of uncertainty
A lot of beliefs are mere props against uncertainty where we seek ‘imaginary facts’ to bolster ourselves and to justify taking difficult decisions. In the end they generally prove limiting and disappointing because of their fantastic nature but with a little courage a better solution can be applied.
Beliefs have a largely superstitious nature. Too much reliance upon beliefs can become can prove very limiting and even destructive. It is important to consider and to challenge beliefs for their accuracy and whether they really do you favours or actually hold you back unnecessarily. Turning beliefs into theories that can be tested will help you to develop a more accurate and hence better mental model for interpreting events in your world.
This article is 2000 words long and will take you about 10-minutes to read. If it strikes a chord with you, then it has the potential to rock your world. So, relax, breathe easy and open your mind to new possibilities…
