Who is Sandy MacKay?
I help Canadians achieve financial freedom through real estate.
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The world is so fascinating. And the more I learn about the many cultures and beliefs around the world, the more curious and fascinated I become.
I’m writing this letter today from the banks of the Nile River in Egypt. Kate and I have spent this week exploring many of the temples and tombs. In a couple days from now we’ll see the pyramids of Giza.
This country is Epic!
It’s been so interesting to learn about the history and the stories of the ancient Egyptians, the Pharaohs, the Gods etc.
And it’s checking off some bucket list items for us, which always makes me feel very grateful and inspired. (Bucket lists aren’t meant for when you retire!)
The Pharaohs (rulers of Egypt), the nobles and even commoners would spend their entire lives making sure they were prepared for the next world. They built their tombs and filled them with elaborate messages and items they would need to guide themselves in the afterlife.
Hearing about this stuff is interesting. But seeing it up close is something else.
It makes me think…
Why would they dedicate so much of their lives to preparing for the afterlife?
How did this preparation serve them in their current life?
No one can answer those questions with great certainty. But some clarity around the history here can be found in this quote from Mahatma Gandhi…
“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
Because of their beliefs, the ancient Egyptians felt the need to construct their tombs, the temples, the pyramids etc. They believed it was a valuable use of their energy, and so they did it.
Why they believe that is up for debate.
But why they did what they did. That is simply due to the beliefs they had.
Your beliefs are the reason behind everything you are going to do throughout your day today, and throughout your entire life.
Therefore, choosing what you believe in is one of the most important choices in your life!
The keyword there is choice.
Your beliefs are a choice.
Many of your beliefs were formed when you were a child and had very little control over your thoughts.
Most people settle into those beliefs and stick with them for literally their entire lives.
Not necessarily a bad thing if those beliefs are serving you well.
But a very destructive thing if those beliefs are not serving you well.
“Money is the root of all evil,” for example, is not going to serve you well if you desire to earn a lot of money. Yet it’s a very common belief.
You’ll never earn a lot of money with that belief because it will direct all of your thoughts, words, actions, habits and values away from earning money.
This is where you get the choice to change your beliefs and ultimately change your life.
How to Change Your Beliefs
Look, there are 1000s of articles out there, and 1000s of of experts to help you in this area.
I’m certainly no psychological guru.
But there is one habit that I’ve formed over the past year to help me audit my beliefs and change some of them to serve myself better.
I believe it will help you too if you commit to it.
It’s incredibly simple and can be done in less than 5 minutes a day.
Here it is step-by-step:
The Beliefs Habit
1. Every morning spend time thinking to yourself about your beliefs that formed your decision in the previous 24 hours. This is usually the hardest part because our beliefs are often hidden. They come before our thoughts and actions. What was the main belief behind your thoughts and actions in your interactions?
2. Audit those beliefs to find the ones that got in the way of you achieving your goals and mission in life.
3. Write out this “limiting belief” to get clarity on the belief that you have.
4. Decide whether that belief is actually serving you well, or not.
5. Pick one belief from the past 24 hours that does not serve your goals/mission. Transform that belief into a new “unlimiting belief” that will serve you better.
6. Write out the new belief in your journal.
7. Rehearse this new belief to yourself at least 5 times.
8. Visualize how this new belief will serve your goals/mission in the future and why it’s so important that you take on that new belief.
9. Revisit your journals on this and enjoy watching your progress.
Through this process I have found my beliefs can be changed. And I’ve gained a much better appreciation for others’ perspectives.
This process does not lead to instant results. That’s why you need to repeat it daily. You’l probably find that there are many days you write out the same beliefs over and over again. That’s normal.
It’s a process. And it’s a habit that you’ll be really grateful to have formed in your life. It will lead to massive personal growth.
If more wealth is a desire of yours, yet money is not your best friend right now. Then start making it your best friend through altering your beliefs about it. Just be prepared for it to take some time.
Go ahead and try it out!
Until next week! ✌🏻
– Sandy Mackay