Have you ever been certain you knew something, only to find out you were wrong? We all have.
One of the great quotes from any movie comes in Men In Black when Edwards (Will Smith) learns that man is not alone on Earth.
Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) outlines a number of things we have "known".
"Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe.
Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet.
Imagine what you'll know tomorrow.
" Imagine what you will know tomorrow.
Today we woke up with all the knowledge we've gained in our lives.
We've taken information in, distilled it, compared it, challenged it, and developed our own opinion based on all the experiences we've gained heretofore.
For better or worse, each of us believes what we want to believe and we want to believe it because it is consistent with our experience.
This belief makes life less complicated.
It keeps us safe.
But it also requires continued reinforcement.
This is why, for the most part, we associate with people like ourselves.
We watch the same television channels, eat at the same restaurants, get our news from the same outlets, and join clubs full of the same people we already know.
We need to know we are okay, and what better evidence than to be reminded at every turn there are people just like us who like us just the way we are? And then it happens.
Someone, something, somewhere exposes us to new ideas, new desires, new opportunities.
These new things were there all the time of course it is just now that we've noticed.
We have just now gained enough experience to believe our self-limiting thoughts just might be wrong.
At first it's just a passing fancy to be kept to ourselves.
Then it becomes something we believe we can achieve or obtain.
We begin to think more about it.
Soon it becomes an obsession.
We talk about it and with talk comes action.
We deserve this.
We cannot live without it.
Those who tell us we can't or we shouldn't are often operating out of self-defense.
What will happen to the relationship we have with them if we begin to change? Sometimes it's as innocent as not wanting us to fail.
Simply put they don't believe.
But those who cheer us on, tell us to go for it, and encourage us the whole way are there because they believe in us.
They want better for us than we want for ourselves.
Those are the people we should surround ourselves with.
Everyone needs a core group of people who believe in them more than they believe in themselves.
Tell everyone you know the next time you have a new idea, new desire, or new goal.
Listen to the responses.
Then only speak about it further with those who say, "Yes you can!" And listen to the desires and dreams of others.
Be an encourager.
We teach that which we need most.
We all need encouragement.
Be an encourager who teaches others by doing.
One of the great quotes from any movie comes in Men In Black when Edwards (Will Smith) learns that man is not alone on Earth.
Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) outlines a number of things we have "known".
"Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe.
Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet.
Imagine what you'll know tomorrow.
" Imagine what you will know tomorrow.
Today we woke up with all the knowledge we've gained in our lives.
We've taken information in, distilled it, compared it, challenged it, and developed our own opinion based on all the experiences we've gained heretofore.
For better or worse, each of us believes what we want to believe and we want to believe it because it is consistent with our experience.
This belief makes life less complicated.
It keeps us safe.
But it also requires continued reinforcement.
This is why, for the most part, we associate with people like ourselves.
We watch the same television channels, eat at the same restaurants, get our news from the same outlets, and join clubs full of the same people we already know.
We need to know we are okay, and what better evidence than to be reminded at every turn there are people just like us who like us just the way we are? And then it happens.
Someone, something, somewhere exposes us to new ideas, new desires, new opportunities.
These new things were there all the time of course it is just now that we've noticed.
We have just now gained enough experience to believe our self-limiting thoughts just might be wrong.
At first it's just a passing fancy to be kept to ourselves.
Then it becomes something we believe we can achieve or obtain.
We begin to think more about it.
Soon it becomes an obsession.
We talk about it and with talk comes action.
We deserve this.
We cannot live without it.
Those who tell us we can't or we shouldn't are often operating out of self-defense.
What will happen to the relationship we have with them if we begin to change? Sometimes it's as innocent as not wanting us to fail.
Simply put they don't believe.
But those who cheer us on, tell us to go for it, and encourage us the whole way are there because they believe in us.
They want better for us than we want for ourselves.
Those are the people we should surround ourselves with.
Everyone needs a core group of people who believe in them more than they believe in themselves.
Tell everyone you know the next time you have a new idea, new desire, or new goal.
Listen to the responses.
Then only speak about it further with those who say, "Yes you can!" And listen to the desires and dreams of others.
Be an encourager.
We teach that which we need most.
We all need encouragement.
Be an encourager who teaches others by doing.