Beliefs – How Does It Really Work?

Dr. Efrat Tzadik

At the beginning of my academic journey, I conducted research on pilgrimages to graves but not necessarily pilgrimages with a religious character to.

In a small cemetery, next to a beautiful lake, I observed people creating very personal rituals: singing, praying, writing notes, and leaving requests.

Familiar? It strongly resembles what we often see at graves of saints.

That made me ask: What is belief, and how does it work in our lives?

We usually talk about “superstitions”, “empowering beliefs”, or “limiting beliefs.” But what is a belief at its core?

Essentially, belief is a psychological state in which we accept an assumption or statement as true, and often act according to it or allow it to guide our lives.

Unlike knowledge, it cannot always be proven logically or scientifically yet it connects us to our sense of “truth” and “right”.

In my clinical work, I often hear: “I have superstitions.”

And I always say: there is no such thing as a “superstitious belief.” Every belief is tied to our world of meaning, to the culture in which we grew up, and to the personal experiences that shaped us.

Examples from daily life:

Someone who believes in karma will act kindly towards others, trusting that it will come back to her/him.

Someone who believes in the evil eye may hide a new purchase or a success to protect themselves.

So how does it work in practice?

We usually cling to beliefs in times of crisis, when logic does not provide an answer or when the answer is too hard to digest.

People with an external locus of control may say: “I failed the exam because I had bad luck.”

Whereas someone with an internal locus of control will say: “I failed because I didn’t study enough.”

Many of our beliefs are shaped in childhood and continue to accompany us in adulthood:

Children repeatedly told that they are capable and whose parents believe in them, will grow up with an inner belief in their own abilities.

Children constantly told “it’s not good enough” may adopt a limiting belief that impacts their self-worth, unless they later choose to work on it.

When we live with certain beliefs, we tend to focus on the things that reinforce them. This creates a self-reinforcing loop that can either empower us or hold us back.

If I wear my “lucky shirt” to an exam and succeed, I’ll keep doing it. My belief about exam success will be more positive, my stress will decrease, and – if I studied – my chances of success will grow.

And when beliefs no longer serve us, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) comes in.

In CBT, we identify limiting beliefs, explore their roots (not always easy!), and gradually transform them into empowering ones. This gives people more inner freedom, greater flexibility of thought, and – most importantly – the ability to grow.

If you’d like to explore which beliefs shape your life, and how to turn them into a source of strength and security, I’d be happy to guide you through the process!