THE LITERACY OF BELIEF. Uju C. Ukwuoma

       Prologue

       “My flight leaves in 45 minutes.” “See you tomorrow, buddy.” “Let’s catch up over a meal in two days.” “Can we discuss that over coffee later in the week?” “I will be there next month for the event.” These are some of the things we say to one another without any actual reason to ensure they will happen. Be that as it may, we know it can be tough to accurately guarantee what will happen in the next minute. Why then do people make such commitments about future events? Do we have absolute control over how things will turn out? While it appears that we are not able to control things, I have found that people enter into such obligations with one another because of what they believe. Although we are not always aware, we believe we will be alive and in good health to fulfill our commitments. Our ape-like predecessors were different due to their fixed behavioral patterns. As such, only humans are capable of reasoning in such a manner.

       In the absence of insanity, we can produce sensations, images, or ideas in our minds and, eventually, experience them precisely as we envisioned. In addition to the ability to visualize and conceptualize, human beings possess willpower, which enables them to actualize what they have imagined. For many years, I explored what would happen if we extended such capability to other areas of our lives. The exploration helped me to understand the importance of asking appropriate questions about life.

       Ask yourself, for example, am I living the life of my visualization or imagination? Even if your answer is in the affirmative, it is essential to know that you can do better because life offers lots of room for improvement. Life has several initiatives in the offing for us. There are more good people in this world than we think. Many people from around the globe are sending positive thoughts and wishes of prosperity to other people in the world. Billions of people would jump at the opportunity to be of assistance to others. Life is much more than the bickering, hatred, and discrimination witnessed in some places. The political turmoil and religious bigotry we see around us are only isolated events. Life is a vast treasure awaiting discovery. Using a non-academic, easy to read narrative, this book documents over 25 years of my quest to understand how human thoughts and beliefs influence human outcomes. I posit that genetics and other factors influence what happens to us, but it is our imagination that breeds our beliefs, and we demonstrate what we believe through our behavior. My postulation implies that multiple forces contribute to what we experience as human beings. However, it is what we think that shapes our beliefs, and how we conduct ourselves is a reflection of those beliefs. As such, our thought pattern incubates what we desire and determines what we get in life. It follows that our current situation reflects what we or others have thought and believed in the past. As a result, the things we are thinking and believing are either taking us closer to or alienating us from a better outcome. I have concluded that we can think our way to a better life or circumstance by reevaluating our thoughts and our beliefs, including the decisions and actions we take.

       In order to achieve such a feat, however, we have to become belief literate. Being belief literate means embracing a 3-step process I have developed and called Belief Literacy Steps (BLS). First, identify where you are and the thoughts you have regarding the circumstances you want to change. Second, evaluate your opinions and beliefs about the circumstances and define where you want to be. Finally, design and implement appropriate steps to take you to your desired destination. Most of us are drastically unaware of our level of understanding of our belief system, but you will be able to list and explain the three-pronged BLS after reading this book. I also hope you will take those steps daily to steer your mind to your desired destination. Many people, especially effective teachers and engaged students, have taken BLS unconsciously and experienced great results. If taken consciously, BLS can and will lead to a significant payoff.