Mindset : The New Psychology of Success pdfdrive com

Beliefs Are the Key to Happiness (and to Misery)
In  the  1960s,  psychiatrist  Aaron  Beck  was  working  with  his  clients  when  he
suddenly  realized  it  was  their  beliefs  that  were  causing  their  problems.  Just
before  they  felt  a  wave  of  anxiety  or  depression,  something  quickly  flashed
through  their  minds.  It  could  be:  “Dr.  Beck  thinks  I’m  incompetent.”  Or  “This
therapy  will  never  work.  I’ll  never  feel  better.”  These  kinds  of  beliefs  caused
their negative feelings not only in the therapy session, but in their lives, too.
They  weren’t  beliefs  people  were  usually  conscious  of.  Yet  Beck  found  he
could  teach  people  to  pay  attention  and  hear  them.  And  then  he  discovered  he
could  teach  them  how  to  work  with  and  change  these  beliefs.  This  is  how
cognitive therapy was born, one of the most effective therapies ever developed.
Whether  they’re  aware  of  it  or  not,  all  people  keep  a  running  account  of
what’s  happening  to  them,  what  it  means,  and  what  they  should  do.  In  other
words, our minds are constantly monitoring and interpreting. That’s just how we
stay on track. But sometimes the interpretation process goes awry. Some people
put  more  extreme  interpretations  on  things  that  happen—and  then  react  with
exaggerated feelings of anxiety, depression, or anger. Or superiority.