Yesterday I shared the importance of challenging one's self. To do so creates clarity and shapes your beliefs. You'll recall "beliefs" or "world views" govern our decisions. We may, or may not, accept or reject evidence to support our beliefs. When we find ourselves doubting our choices, it's a good time to check-in.   

As promised, today, I'm sharing questions you can use to develop your thoughts and make better decisions.   

• How do I know what I believe?

• Where did I get the information that supports my belief?

• From whom did I receive the information?

• What is the quality of my sources?

• How much do I trust them?

• How up-to-date is my information?

• How much information do I have that relates to my belief?

• What other things like this have I been confident about that turned out not to be true?

• What are the other plausible alternatives?

• What do I know about the person challenging my belief?

• What is their view of how credible my opinion is?

• What do they know that I don't know?

• What is their level of expertise?

• What am I missing?

Use these questions when you find yourself at a standstill. Here are some examples of people that might feel stuck.  

To those musicians in grad school and deciding if they made the right decision: "Getting a master's degree is the best way for me to secure a secure future as a musician."  

To those musicians on a cruise ship and deciding that a move back to land is a better idea: "Moving back to land-based work is the surest way to get my music out to the masses."  

To those people looking to sell more of their product: "Connecting with as many people as possible will get me the social media reach I need to get ahead."  

Challenge yourself regularly. Don't shy away from what you might uncover. You formed your belief system over time as a way to keep you safe. However, as the world and your life change - your beliefs may need to be reshaped as well.