The purpose of the Fergusson Group is to help people BELIEVE. That may seem like a very short and simple mission statement, but it is part of a very large plan to help all people with every aspect of their lives.
What does it mean to believe? It means that we have utmost faith in whatever aspect of life we choose to have a belief in. There are basically two different types of belief. One of them is very simple. It is the belief that something is going to work based upon past performance. This function of belief is borne out by actual data which helps them to be consistently believed unless there is a change in the structure or system that created it. The second type of belief is one that occurs through faith. This means that there’s no data and faith is purely borne out through a commitment to the system or philosophy that has been presented. This can be extremely challenging; people can attack this from all sides. Let’s take a minute and look at these two types of belief.
Factual Belief
Factual belief is one that is borne out of history of success. For example, when you get in your car you know that it is going to start. You are confident that the car will start because it has done so 99 out of 100 times previously. You have the data, and you have the experience to know that this is the case. If, for some reason, the car does not start, this is an anomaly. It is something that will not shake our belief but rather can be chalked up to the fact that we missed something in the maintenance of our car. As I said initially, this form of belief is very easy, yet has a lot of continuity because of experience dealing with various situations. We call this a factual belief. This means that this belief system is backed up by countless examples of experience and trial and error. Whatever topic falls into this category, the system can be traced back to this solid history of experience. This means that if anyone were to challenge your belief, you could relate back to the experience and history of whatever that belief is and show by example why you believe this way.
Faith Belief
Faith belief is one that is constantly challenged. The reason this can be challenged so much is that there is little history or experience to back up why you believe this way. Many religions are formed around faith although there is some history or experience to the story of that religion. The continuing belief in faith is predicated on the unwavering belief that this system or religion has a basis in fact and is a contributor to overall success and happiness. Faith belief can take sides through many different examples and situations. Obviously, the faith in your religion and your belief is one of the most critical because they dictate how you view the world and how you react to the world. We also have different beliefs, for example faith in your mother and father. This faith is predicated on the experience you’ve had and the ongoing belief that whatever experience you had will continue throughout your life and therefore we can say that we love our mother and father because our faith is built upon a solid ground.
How your life is and how it’s going to be is most definitely reflected by whatever your belief system is. It is often thought that many scientists or intellectuals will only have a belief in something that can be proven, that they can see, feel it, touch it, or approve its existence through data. You must decide what your belief system is going to be. Your belief system will determine the direction of your thoughts, the direction of your life and how you will treat all those around you in the world. To live a life believing in something gives that life purpose. And if you have a purpose, you have a reason to get up in the morning. You have a reason to have an impact on whatever the day brings. So, it is important to understand that you need to realize what your belief system is and take the time to understand why you believe the way you do. For example, if you believe that people are inherently right or wrong you may have a very difficult time convincing someone, not only yourself, but other people, the true aspect of where somebody is coming from. A belief system that believes in the good of every person means that there is hope and that there needs to be some sort of consideration of why the good is not there and how to bring it back.
Self-Assessment
Now take a minute and ponder your belief systems in the following areas:
- Your faith in a supreme being and the strength of that faith.
- Your political opinion and the reasoning for it.
- What do you believe about your work life or your retirement life.
- Your family and how you are connected or not.
- Your worldview and your position in it.
- Your overall belief in yourself.
What did you find out about yourself? Is your belief system everything you thought it would be? What are some areas that you want to go back to and develop further?
Goal and Result
Hopefully, this will help you understand who you are and prepare you for achieving more toward your purpose and understanding where you might want to go. Please understand, your purpose is being conducted daily whether you understand it or not. Just by your actions, people see and respond to who you are and what you’re about. Now the key is to know yourself.
Belief — Be·lief
- an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists: “his belief in the value of hard work”
- trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something: “a belief in democratic politics”
This guide, courtesy of Attitude Reality, aims to equip you with effective strategies to navigate the discovery of “you”. Visit the Fergusson Group for more resources and direction.