Agreed! Life is a disco ball with many facades, and where we stand determines what light we see. Wisdom starts to grow if we can zoom out to see more facades.
Ha! Nice metaphor. I’ve never heard that one before. — Derek

Same comment, less licking - Great reminder on perspective.

I like both chapters, but this one is easier to wrap your bundle of synapses around.

Love this updated version. It's concise and easy to understand as a stand-alone piece.

It also provides a good formula for installing new beliefs by asking yourself: What do I need to believe to carry me to my desired future? Then your magic mind finds proof to support the new belief.

One suggestion. "because everyone needs different beliefs for their different situations” What do you think about adding "in different chapters of their life.” to the last sentence?

guilty of misreading the previous version, though the conclusion was still the same, the layers leading to it were different...the latter version was more 'clear'

Yes! This is clear. I get it. Thanks.

I liked yesterday's metaphor (and I "got" it and attempted to build on it) but today's metaphor is more fascinating. As a youngling, I remember looking into a mirror and thinking deep thoughts about reality and reflections. Yeah, weird kid...

Agree with others, this is a much clearer version!

But on a sidenote I'd really love a chapter or post on media <> "useful not true". I think it's interesting how different people consume whatever news most supports their world views and ignore all other media.

“everyone needs different beliefs for their different situations”

I love this, because it’s so true.

One belief I heard recently:

“Don’t worry about your ability to make the right decision, believe in your ability to correct when you make the wrong one.”

This was a wonderful summation of the topic and point you were trying to get across.

What we would most benefit from is often so individual.

If technology can give bespoke solutions that would benefit us the most, who would we be not to.

Even if we don’t take the view we’d learn more about ourselves. Hopefully we would though as it sounds like it could help you out of a pinch!

Thank you Derek for writing back. Of course, the desire to use one's own idea of the external world as a template has been around since homo sapiens have existed. In this respect, I already understood your wonderful first text only with the emphasis that the current AIs in social media reinforce this exponentially. Best regards Rainer

We have invented many such magic wands; some more believable than others. Some look at horoscopes, some at holy books, and some to poetry among other things.

We seek support and want a little more certainty in what we think is true. Who’s to say what benefits us the most? I don’t think there’s one answer. Maybe that’s what the magic mirror is about? Knowing me enough to give me a believable answer. It’d probably make life much easier.

Yes I actually did understand your previous post in this way AND I also think that this is the direction AI is going. This scares me because it means that we’ll give over even more power to AI because who wouldn’t want something that gives them everything that they need ? 🤷🏻‍♀️

I can see how I misunderstood the last post after reading this one.

I’m drawing parallels from Bob Procter.
Who spoke about how we are able to put thoughts into our conscious mind.
But the magic happens in our subconscious mind.
And the only way our subconscious mind is populated is drawing from the conscious mind.

Do you think we need proof to believe something and act upon it?
Or do zealots and pathological narcissist’s have an advantage here lol.

I think that having a positive attitude feeds into what the mirror reflects back. And snowballs.

As does a negative attitude/outlook

I love this version, Derek, it is crystal clear, and convincing. I love the Harry Potter mirror analogy (my wife and I are both huge Harry Potter fans, by the way). I found it interesting that the mirror's name is Erised - which is desire spelled backwards.

In the absence of such a tool that shows us what we need to believe, it struck me that we can simulate such a tool with our imagination - someone creating something can imagine 4 people (give them actual names - John from Chicago, Ramesh from New Delhi, Michael from London, Boye from Norway) who benefit immensely from the creation they release to the world.

This post is so much better! Hahaha. I interpreted the first one as some sort of Meta concept 😂😂😂.

This is so straight forward and easy to understand. Great work Derek 🙌🏽.

“Paradise is not a place; it’s a state of consciousness.”

— Sri Chinmoy

the mirror principle:

Bard: Is there an original source of the concept of the mirror principle of inner and outer reality?

The concept of the mirror principle of inner and outer reality is found in many different spiritual and philosophical traditions around the world. It is difficult to say definitively who first articulated this concept, but it is likely that it has been circulating for centuries, if not millennia.

Some of the earliest known references to the mirror principle can be found in ancient Egyptian and Hindu texts. For example, the Upanishads, a collection of sacred Hindu scriptures, teach that the external world is simply a reflection of our inner consciousness.

The mirror principle is also central to many Buddhist teachings. For example, the Dhammapada, one of the most popular Buddhist scriptures, states that "Whatever arises in the mind, that one becomes." This teaching suggests that our thoughts and emotions create our reality.

In Western thought, the mirror principle can be found in the writings of many different philosophers, including Plato, Plotinus, and William Blake. For example, in his book The Republic, Plato compares the human soul to a cave, in which we can only see shadows of the real world. The mirror principle suggests that these shadows are actually reflections of our own inner reality.

20th century spirituality: Carl Jung, Jiddu Krishnamurti, and Eckhart Tolle all popularized the mirror principle in the 20th century. They taught that our outer reality is a manifestation of our inner thoughts and feelings.

How about: “What if there was something similar but a bit different? What if there was something that showed you what you most need to believe right now?” (Put the word “believe” in italics or bold)
Best wishes!

Is that why you move to New Zealand? :P

I agree that people are too simple these days. The earth is much more complex than whatever realities we are perceiving. Be able to have multiple perspectives, as well as using a perspective to suit current situation can be helpful.

Derek, with that email you just gave me flat out, my biggest laugh of the day. I've been there, astonished that people thought I'd written something completely different than what I though I'd written.

This one resonates beautifully and its kind of a version of what I'm often sharing with people -- to trust their own voice and perspective. And that there are all kinds of things in this world that can be two things at the same time. A falling leaf can be for all who see it. And also, it could be especially for you.

What is the concept of the mirror principle of inner and outer reality?

anthony ittelopihc

"As within, so without - as without, so within." The mirror principle asserts that the outer world and the inner world are two reflections of a single reality. What occurs inside of us exists outside of us, and vice verse.

This article is much clearer! I had to read the last one 3 or 4 times and I only kind of understood it after reading some comments.

My opinion:

Why science will NEVER resolve quantum mechanics and relativity:
1. As Sir Roger Penrose has said, gravity collapses the waveform.
2. The waveform is the fundamental awareness of intangible events.
3. The waveform experiences an infinite set of intangible events.
4. When the waveform collapses, a tangible memory cloud is created.
5. The memory cloud becomes a record of previous intangible events.
6. Gravity creates a physical story line of the past intangible events.
7. The story is like a screenplay and is subject to interpretation.
8. The movie created is a physical event bound by time and space.
9. An observer of the movie can download and change it in any way.
10. Quantum theory defines the waveform, relativity is the movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvVBNaZc_WE

Feels like the same thing going back and forth, we tend to see and believe what we want to believe. We would like to think that we draw conclusions from what we experience, but in fact, our brain works the other way around - it make predictions, planing next actions accordingly and then make adjustments for making future predictions... The predictions would always definitely wrong and the adjustments can make it less wrong but never perfectly right. When our desire for being right overcomes the desire to be less wrong, we drift away from the truth further and further apart. Technology amplifies and speed up this process, therefore becomes superpower for those who use it to be less wrong, self-destructive for those who what to feel good about themselves for being right. But reality will catch up eventually when the error can not longer be ignored or tolerated, but there will be collateral damage alone the way.
Good point! — Derek

I agree that this version is more clear. However I really liked the previous framework of writing about the perspective of different people. To me both versions are somewhat complementary. The first version to me is a very nice-to-read story, this version more of a conclusion.
Just my thoughts in it, but I really like both and especially the message :-)

Hi Derek! - Beautiful thought, and well expressed. Humans do have that ability to take their beliefs, with or without evidence, and apply them to their particular situations. It’s a pity that they so often insist on forcing those perspectives and beliefs on others. Please keep the books coming! - Marc

> We don’t have to argue what’s in the magic mirror, which viewpoints are *true or not*, because everyone needs different beliefs for their different situations.

There's value in this perspective. Yet I can't help but worry that it's a one-way mirror that, while showing what we need exposes us to being nudged off the path of our needs and onto some paved or desire paths of someone else's making.

1. It is nice to read you think “I committed an error” (leading to a misunderstanding) instead of reading “my readers got it totally wrong, they didn’t understood the text”. Most authors would have simply strongly stuck to the original version, while secretly cursing over their readers.

2. Now on the text, a beautifully written explanation on how we humans fall into (and live by) the selection bias. Great food for thought.

Thanks, Derek

This is an easier metaphor Derek. Some comments. Thanks

Spot on! I recognise my own response to difficult situations that I’ve faced in my life. If I didn’t do that I would be looking at my own actions & deeds through other people’s filters and perspectives and would lose my sense of self, my own uniqueness/take on the world and others, in relation to my own sense of self. It has saved my sanity and helped me get through some serious curve balls in my life so far. Acceptance and maturity to understand that life is not always going to be fair or all sweetness and light all of the time, having a strong sense of self, who you are and the values you want to embody is vital, especially during the difficult and challenging times. When times are good it takes less effort to live well and with ease. Self awareness is vital I believe if we want to be resilient and pivot successfully when needed. Hope this makes sense ha ha.

“ We don’t have to argue what’s in the magic mirror, which viewpoints are true or not, because everyone needs different beliefs for their different situations.”

different situations or simulations?

I posted on linkedin the other day a quote from Margret A Boden who was pioneering the intersection of AI and psychology way before it became a buzzword. I think if you peel back some of her writing you might find even more inspiration about the AI section of your own book.

the jist of my post was A) celebrating a lesser known Woman’s history blurb (and a great quote from her about creativity) and B) a short thought about AI becoming a tool to help us better understand our own human mind rather than a way to human mind tasks faster.

but I love where you are going with this chapter.

The updated version is definitely easier to understand. Reading this reminds me of confirmation bias.

Abundantly clearer. Subjectivism. There are strong philosophical arguments for not adopting this point of view. Mainly: the loss of empathy.

"In Harry Potter, there’s a magic mirror that reflects the viewer’s desire. What Harry sees in that mirror is very different than what Dumbledore or Ron sees, because their desires are all different."

like our social media bubbles?

Reminds me of the idea that there are infinite parallel universes wherein each of us has made different choices. and you are simply moving into the one that reflects your actual choices. Why not choose the universe where you are most happy and successful? Or alternately, why not choose to believe you are already in that universe? Perhaps that is the key choice that transports you there. And since we are all living in a unique experience of the same universe, it’s totally fathomable that we can live in the same universe with different perspectives on what’s out there and all be happy about where we are at and where we are going.

I couldn't agree more. Very well stated.
Very clear.
What has always interested me is -- why do many of us need to have a belief set at all? And, what is more, need to identify with that belief set? A great subject.

Sounds like a great self-test: "What do I believe in? What do I need to believe in? What proves the second point?"

Thank you.

Social media echo chambers and "the algorithm" come pretty close to the powers of Harry Potter's magic mirror.

So true, my friend. Love the HP reference. Can't wait for the new book ; )

Yes!!
I like it!
Perception is everything 🫶

100% agreed and this is happening right now. All the social media feeds you the things you are looking for, accounts you have to follow that shares the same interest or point of view with you. This is a double edged knife and one will argue that moderation in social media should be enhanced. I think we have to exercise the opposite thinking method to try to learn why one would think our idea is bonkers, this will upscale us humans

This is a joyful piece and I love the Erised analogy :)
The hard part for me can be figuring out which perspective I need to believe. I read somewhere that our brains are designed to keep us safe, not happy, and my mirror sure likes to preempt an array of imagined disasters. I've just started exploring self hypnosis for installing chosen beliefs. I think the layer of intention is important for ensuring the perspective feeds the belief rather than the other way around.

Derek, I see what you are saying with this. Yes using AI previous threw me off the track. I wrote a memo recently and was surprised to see someone else view that it was different to mine. We all have a different understanding of what is in front of us.

There is useful true, useful not true, not useful true, not useful not true, harmful true, harmful not true. although you cant decide what true and not true you can decide whether to make it useful, not useful or harmful

Yes, yes and yes to that ! Our beliefs are so malleable, and we can just choose the ones that serve us best.

My grandma told me once she'd lost €2000 in cash (I don't know why she was carrying that much money in cash with her). She felt very bad and angry at herself. Then my uncle told her that maybe a poor guy found it and that the money helped him get food and a warm place.

Of course, nobody will ever know if it's true, but that belief made her feel better. Since she didn't want to keep beating herself up, she chose to believe him, and it helped her overcome her anger.

It was a choice in the end, not an unfortunate event.

Believe it totally 😊 interestingly this is my message to my daughter over the past weekend “ Remember, Daughter, we all hold different beliefs, the differences lie not much at line of right or wrong, rather constructive or destructive for our life 💕❤️”

I agree Derek. This version is clear on the message of choosing the belief that supports you right now. Although, the first version had a bit more playfulness to it. Excited to read more and I hope you are well.

It's a nice vision. Though of course Harry Potter lives in a fictional story. It's great fun, wonderful escapism. We kids of all ages can revel in the movies and books. Perhaps for lots of folks, to escape their lives for an hour or two is essential contrast -- a kind of pressure release valve.

At the same time it's important that we stay grounded in the real world. Escapism is imagination. Imagination is a sort of escapism. To craft new things and new ideas, at some point, we use imagination. We ask questions like 'What if ....?' and then remarkable scientists and researchers may create tests to answer such questions, prove a point, move humanity forward (at least we hope). And so on.

But if we're on top of a tall building, and desire to believe that we can fly or imagine that we can fly, then jump off -- the real world meets us at the ground. The universe appears to have rules. One set of rules we become familiar with on Earth we call 'the laws of nature'. Though over time, these may change to, depending on what we're doing.

Put another way, for a hungry child in Gaza (or anywhere else) imagining some nice food to eat and drink won't make up for the real thing.

I like both but they are different. The other chapter evoked emotion in me and empathy as I placed myself in their shoes. This one doesn’t as much but it helps me understand the message.

Love the message :)

Hi Derek,

"useful not true" is a premise that works - at least for me. I live like that for a long time. After all, one of my key insights is that I know that I cannot know for sure. So for me truth is a concept like perfection. A guiding star but never reached.

Concerning what someone needs, I just would like to add that sometimes it is good to see something horrible in the mirror to do the right thing. Such as the horror of war applied to you and your family, when considering the support for escalation of an armed conflict.

What we need is often not what we like. So the useful thing might be something unpleasant that motivates to deliberately choose a healthy dose of growth pain (such as working out).

Best regards and good progress on your book

Andrej

On the journey of following my inner truth 💗. Your writing reads like poetry to me.

"Everyone needs different beliefs for their different situations."

This is an incredibly important conclusion.

I feel we are generally too fixated on the "truth value" of our beliefs vs those of others, without realising that beliefs have a "contextual value" as well: the ways in which they support or diminish someone's worldview, ability to act, etc.

So good

Is it just you and me on this balcony?

Ahh okay. So AI and media were a bit noisy in the last one, but both are still a fun read.

Funny how your point comes across in the responses. This is more of a direct idea, which I think makes it easier to digest. I agree that “the magic” is here and we have that ability to shift.

I’m currently reading Island by Aldous Huxley, and the way perspective works in it is fascinating. Very forest and trees, not unlike these two posts. The additional context changes the work and what we’re seeing.

I wonder how often that has happened to me when consuming, scanning for what I wanted and missing what was meant.

A long time ago, in a very, very distant country, conflicts often arose due to the creation of expectations when these clashed with the events that occurred. The expectations we created regarding a situation or person could be dangerous if they were very far from reality, and the distance between what was happening and what we imagined determined how we felt.

But today we know that reality is multifaceted and elusive, therefore, who knows? And quantum mechanics has taught us that the eye of the observer conditions the result of the experiment.
Furthermore, we have managed to ensure that technology eliminates that gap between expectations and reality, right? Adapting, or filtering the reality we perceive so that we feel better.

Perhaps some dinosaur, upon seeing the meteorite crossing the sky, limited itself to making three wishes, and continued enjoying the landscape of a world that they knew and dominated.

It is a very interesting topic, with multiple possible developments, and I thank you because I will inevitably continue to think about it throughout the day.

Was it the difference between your expectation of the comments on the previous text and the actual comments that led you to change the text?

I like your post. It's quite real, we try to believe in what we need. But we sometimes enter some philosophical POV because is the reality we believe real or just the personal reality? I think there is one reality and different perceptions of it, and the perception is personal, based on our moment of life.

Hi Derek,

I had never seen this topic from a positive viewpoint. I've always thought that the confirmation bias (and AI strengthens it a lot) is negative because it leads to tribal thinking, a serious issue in today's politics not only in the USA, but also in Europa and in Spain, my country. I do think that one needs to be open to new information that contradict your views, because it can ignite the empathy towards the other, something we are lacking a lot nowadays.

Again, I don't agree but I am glad that someone presents this issue as positive, since it usually is the opposite.

All the best,
Paco

I read also the old post.
0 interest
This one also brings no promise of showing me anything I don't already know but it's been nicer to read

Like I have mentioned several times, Derek Sivers is highly poetic. The imagery, the implications and the metaphors are all alluring. You won't believe, I'd prefer the first article. I tried it before this and I am taking my pick. They both pass the same information but that first one does it in a more condensed way, highly imaginative way. That's what I love. Perhaps that's some of us.

When pragmatism is indeed concerned, it is what works that really matter. I find myself agreeing more and more with this.

I suppose good mental health, or good science, is to be able to see two mirrors, or two Derek metaphors, at the same time and be OK with that.

I give myse/lf permission to contain multitudes.

The ability to mythologize is what makes Homo sapiens unique among the animals. We literally make what we need to believe out of nothing. This is a core survival strategy, developed approximately 50,000 years ago in what anthropologists describe as “the cognitive revolution.”

I love this metaphor. I want to create a self-hypnosis audio session like that. And I will credit you for the idea!

Spot on!
Though I liked the AI version of the telling, this one is strait forward and easier to grasp. Thank you for your time and sharing these two great writings.

"Heaven is spread upon the Earth but men do not see it." - Jesus (from the Gospel of Thomas)

"Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death." - Auntie Mame (as played by Rosalind Russell)

It would be great if AI could help in living a life that reflects these ideas.

Derek,

Thank you for sending an alternate version. I suspect that my misunderstanding your intentions has to do with a lack of context. Context, that would be provided by the chapters preceding this chapter.

I'm really looking forward to being able to read the book!

Thank you, very much.

Hearing and seeing are both avenues that allow information to enter into the brain. Retaining what we see and here and assimilating it is crucial.
James 1: 22–24 from The Message says,
“Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener or a hearer when you are anything but, letting the word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you see and hear!! Those who see and hear and don’t act on it, are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are or what they look like.

You lost me in the last two paragraphs of your metaphor with the logic leaps. Isn't there an objective truth? What about people who live a life of lies or create a world of lies to support an addiction or anti-social behavior? Isn't scientology or a good cult a great mirror? I think there is not one mirror, but more like a fun park of mirrors and we are constantly bouncing ideas and data off of them and estimating what works for us. Some of us get it tragically wrong too.

Better than the other one you asked for comments on. But I still don't get what context this would be used in. Ultimately what POINT are you trying to make the reader aware of?
a.we are living according to invalid perspectives .. &/or
b. you can change your perspective at any time.

Still don't really get your point as I say. ML

Hi Derek
That is one way of living for sure. Just believe what is convenient to you. The other way is to try and overcome these biases and be objective. Because there are things that are true regardless of one's perspective. All the progress we see is the result of this attitude, I would argue.

Love it. That's why I love to look for "signs" in life, even though I hate superstition. It's not that the universe organises itself to send you a message. It's that your subconscious organises your perception (what's salient, what you notice) to send you a message.

Hi Derek,

I loved how thought provoking the first one was, but given your intention/goal and what you wanted us to be thinking about, this is a much better piece.

Thank you for sharing the update.

This version is definitely better than the one "AI gives you the news you need." Both seem to convey what I think you're saying, but this version does a better job of it. It's kind of like the Pygmalion Effect or a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Clean, concise, accurate (IMHO!)
Love it

I read both posts and definitely prefer the latter version. The first post is an interesting expression of the same logic, but the second post is far less abstract. This makes it easier to comprehend the intended message.
The point you’re making is very true, but you’ve only used positive examples.

I don’t know how your book continues with this subject, but it’s also possible for people to see a reflection that doesn’t “support whatever perspective would most benefit”. I’ll use the classic analogy of someone with anorexia staring at a mirror. They don’t see the reality of a skinny image or a positive healthy version; they still see themselves as unattractive and obese. So the image might validate their thoughts and actions, but not to their benefit.

We might see a positive or negative reflection - or even a real one. Then the brain doesn’t know which one is which, so our reasoning and behaviour gets messed up accordingly.

I think is immense value in seeking viewpoints outside of our own mind.

I think we often want certainty or proof, but it’s the perspective/ insight either internal or external, that helps us connect to action.

Having read both versions I would genuinely buy the draft version of your books with all the different examples you thought of using and discarded!

This essay is easier to get what you're saying, yet I felt the other version was more powerful. It felt like the AI news story stuck with me better and I can imagine myself saying it to others.

Funny. I keep focusing on what the difference might be between the two articles.

In my life experience, what you are saying is really true. Thanks
Frank

I probably misunderstood the previous issue as well, but I still believe that Reality holds many thruths many of which are necessary at different times in different people's lives. That's why it is also so important to walk a mile or more in everyone else's shoes...

One day we’ll probably all have AI as our best virtually friends, personal therapist and personal coach, and I look forward to that day. Humans intrinsically need to experience movement, expansion and evolution; if any new beliefs that can nudge them into any type of direction they would be a success (i.e.useful). Everyone needs something a bit different to keep them engaged and exploring- and basically keep living.

heaven is where all of your hopes and dreams come true.
so is hell.
hope and dream wisely

'we do not see things as they are but as we are'
the Talmud

Hi Derek,
what I desire and what I need in any circumstance are not always the same. However, as the book says "seek and ye shall find". "The" truth and "my" truth is a dangerous thing to swap. Just because I believe it to be true does not make it the truth. AI seeks to give us the truth we want to believe. It may also be working against that and leading us to a truth that someone else wants to be true. No matter how advanced it might get, or how far past our ability to comprehend it it may get, it was still created by human beings. And as such there will be unforeseen flaws because, no matter how smart the people at the top may be, it is only as good as the stupidest person involved.
All that said, my point is: Seek THE truth, whether you like what you find or not. The seeking is the pathway. Do not stop if what you find is not what you desired. Your desire may only be a directional aid in finding what you need and what is true.

Derek this one more than convinces me of the dangers of AI.
AI replaces the very God that created you and purposely puts in a void so you seek Him and His Truth. Fantasy, make believe and doing what one feels can easily lead them into a delusional euphoria and eventually to everlasting death.
Diane

Same comment as yesterday, Derek.

AI can learn to feed us what we crave, and if we crave the magical or the untrustworthy, that’s what we will be fed. The skillful adaptation of AI in your revised context makes the assumption that AI will “know” what’s “better” for us and encourage us toward that…and if we don’t get dopamine from that, will be go there? Or take the “easy” fix?

I enjoyed both posts, Derek, especially the mirror analogy. Your perspective is always thought-provoking and it makes me feel that you are not merely the best at what you do...you are the ONLY ONE who does what you do. For this reason, I always love to see an email from you in my inbox.

Two edges to that sword for sure.

In these very strange days where there is constant bombardment from media and feedback loops of ideas that enhance enclosure rather than invite openness, both edges tend to be sharpened by what we are programmed to ‘think’ will make us happy.

One edge is held to the back of a person, prodding him/her/it to ‘work hard’, ‘strive for happiness’, try to ‘get rich’, or even ‘earn a living’; the other edge cuts the person who doesn’t live up to the madness to shreds.

I wanted to say ‘both edges lead one further away from peace’, but I feel that that isn’t true. If one’s body can live long enough, both edges can lead one to question the sword.

Perhaps there is a position where a perspective can truly be claimed as ours… these days, it seems that is as rare as life on spheres floating in space. I think to question the sword starts one on the journey that can lead to that position. The question is the birth of the process of choosing a new sword. One that slices up what is antithetical to existence rather than slicing up one’s existence.

And what would guide the sharpening of the new sword? Nature itself. The rhythms of Universe. I wonder how many edges that sword would have... perhaps, in time, it wouldn't even be a sword at all... perhaps a tree. That feels better.

I thought the AI excerpt was clear (less about AI, more about the mental lense), but this is also great! Looking forward to the boom Derek!

It is the same reason why even the hardest of problems in life can be solved in our terms. When we look at other's problems, they seem to be unsolvable because we are not on track. We see things and formulate a way to get in and out of things. Only in our own terms. Our imagination is built around all the instances we had in life, then we validate ourselves, and make it happen, conscious or not.

We lock ourselves in one intangible instance. If the drive is so strong, then no one can distract us from concentration. Something gets done for sure. We imagine and fabricate. We believe in hitting the bulls-eye until it can actually squeak: "Ouch!"

Love this piece. We could all benefit from a little magic in our lives. If only we had such a tangible, wonderful tool like a magic mirror, it's a great thought.

The world reflects back to us our deeper beliefs as in the famous quote by Henry Ford.

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”
― Henry Ford

For millenia, the ancients have taught that wisdom and insight come from internal inquiry. Not an easy process for many, certainly not as easy as a magic mirror or AI companion.

... or is the need, Derek, the need to know; for once one knows, that knowledge, it seems, would supplant all beliefs; for what are beliefs but something to go by, for now.;-)

... one could also ask, is everyone and everything connected, and if so, why was that not seen before, if indeed that is true?

... one could ask, as well, is the human reality field akin to a computer simulation, and if so, why was that not seen before, if indeed that is true?

... perhaps false beliefs got in the way there, in each case?

It perhaps may be that both of those are actually true, i.e., everything and everyone is indeed connected, and the human reality field indeed functions akin to a computer simulation, and if each is indeed true, one might also ask, has that been forgotten for some reason; and if forgotten, why, for if each is true, presumably that truth has been there all along, to know.

Yes, I think there is a great need to know, what's true; relying simply on beliefs could well be fraught with errors, especially if they are false beliefs.

On the other hand, it does seem that our beliefs, in the meantime, structure our realities, for better or for worse; perhaps the only question to ask in the meantime, i.e., before knowing might dawn upon us, is ... what is it we desire to experience, and if indeed we know what we desire to experience ... set about creating that?

Along the way to creating such desired experiences, reprogramming our beliefs to get there, it seems ... i.e., reprogramming the codes of our beliefs, perhaps, in us, for what are beliefs but coded thoughts ... which seems to be the point of your book, Derek.

The magic mirror concept does suggest there may be an interesting dynamic in play, as well, as to a common process unfolding for us all, perhaps ... a process moving us perhaps in a common direction ... the end result being, eventually, coming to know that:

- everyone and everything is connected. ;-)
- the human reality field is akin to a computer simulation within which we get to experience whatever our beliefs structure for us.;-)

adding on two more,i.e., eventually coming to know, that:

- the context for creating, is a field of love, so our creations have a high possibility of being loved.
- there is a wonderful afterlife, after all, with loved ones waiting, so joy in the moment is a distinct possibility as fear of death and the unknown otherwise fall away.

Perhaps there's a reason you referenced those examples in what you wrote, Derek ... do you think? ;-)

Yeah, using AI in a metaphor doesn't work. It's triggering. But that's why you published it right? To see if it works?

In this article you say people already believe what they need to believe, whether it is true or not. That's a fact. So how will your book change things? Because to believe something you need real world examples that are specific to your problem.

For instance, I was in an online conference, and this lady told me how devastated she was about the loss of her husband, even a decade later. She was in tears. I then related how I had spoken with my father-in-law after his death and that he had given me proof (I told him to cause a power outage when all his family was together. This happened at his house after the funeral. The whole neighbourhood was out of power and I was asleep when it happened. It took hours for the power to be restored). This gave her comfort, and now she believes in life after death. She needed to hear it. I definitely needed the proof for myself too. Just telling her to believe in life after death so she'd feel better wouldn't have worked.

Nice.

Someone feeling unmotivated might see proof that if they persist they will succeed.

You are a sum of all of your thoughts. Or you are a reflection of your thoughts

Such a simple and potent reminder of the agency we have - and can actively develop - in shaping how we see the world, and how we act within it. Can't wait for the book!

LOL ... could type out loud on the topic all day on this one, Derek. ;-)

An interesting read here:

https://ascensionwhispers.wordpress.com/proof/

A couple of quotes/excerpts:

"It means we can change what we see and experience by changing our thoughts and beliefs"

... the kicker perhaps being:

"It means it requires humanity to change their thoughts and beliefs to co-create a balanced holographic reality field." ;-)

Re: "It shows what you need to believe."

Who is "It", again?

In other words, who is the one that shows this to us?

Spoiler: trick question ;-)

Music is beyond belief. For example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEkLsJsDKC8&ab_channel=HotRock

I love this magic mirror concept. The example of a creator making something that people might love is awesome.

2 thoughts:

1. The example about a serious person seeing that life was a simulation didn’t really resonate as much. I imagined something that would convey more humor about humans and could cheer someone up. How would Derek Sivers go about helping a serious person see that life isn’t so serious? I’m genuinely interested.

2. I found the last sentence a little hard to read. A useful rephrase could be something like:

“We don’t have to argue what’s in the magic mirror. We don’t have to argue which viewpoints are true or not. Why? Because everyone needs different beliefs for their different situations.”

Hope this helps!

I like that by suggesting that we “find proof to support the perspective we need,” you imply that our beliefs are not simply passive reflections of reality but active constructions that serve a specific psychological or emotional purpose. I like that idea a lot.

Based on this, it will be interesting to see how or if you touch on the limits of empathy and understanding in your new book.

This feels like a valuable exercise of mental gymnastics to achieve desired outcomes. I wonder though, what are ways to better understand what it is you most need? How can you practically "show them" to yourself such that they make a lasting impact?

My concern with the conclusion you've drawn is that when I'm confronted with a person whose perspective is negative/flawed, the proofs they cite are usually also flawed. Regardless of the damage they can do to themselves and the people around them, they cling to those proofs. I will cite contrary proofs to no avail. I will point out the folly of pursuing such a flawed belief system, and they counter with nihilistic cynicism. And yet, if the person matters to me, I can't just walk away. To do so would be to surrender to hopelessness.

love this as always, Sir Derek! thank you for the new perspective and this reminder! so excited for your newest book!

Love it! Thanks for sharing.

I’m at Seoul Incheon Airport right now.

On way to Bangkok to live for good or at least at 3 least months haha.

Just had a conversation with my dad and his mirror tells him that the reason America is so violent is because of the people crossing the border.

I’m telling him about how clean and nice it is everywhere else and he can’t see anything except how absolutely Amazing the USA is.

Sad how many people told me not to go to Mexico, Guatemala etc bc of how dangerous it is when they have 15 guns at home in their gated communities.

Enjoy seeing you come across various podcasts on my YouTube feed.

Good point, but I would say that, more often than not, we cling to old beliefs and old programming and fail to see that we need a new perspective / belief in order to change our current reality. We, actually, spend a lot of time seeking to find proof to suppport our unhealthy beliefs, (often on a subconscious level, which makesit difficult for us to be aware we are doing it).

We CAN imagine a magical mirror and IF we are open to the message it brings, AND willing to do the work of letting go of old beliefs that no longer serve us, AND install the new perspective / beliefs, THEN we can change our reality. It can happen in an instant, but often takes more time and effort than many are willing to commit, hence the current state of the world. What you are suggesting is true, a new perspective is always available (and each of us may need a different one) and it can change our reality. It can also be veiwed as simple (change your mind/beliefs) but it is very often not easy.

"Upon seeing it, you instantly believe it, internalize it, and act upon it."

That sounds great but oversimplifies and implies a magical element can remove the effort of releasing long held, ingrained, old unhealthy beliefs and programming in new ones. Oh, if it were only that easy!!! I would love some of that magic myself.

If the point is only to show we are in need of different perspectives, this is a great way to clearly explain it but taking on a new belief in the face of no current proof is a leap of faith and requires diligant effort to hold until reality catches up. And old patterns of thinking can take a while to unwind.

If I were writing this I would differentiate what we often do (seek proof of unhealthy beliefs) from what would serve us better (seeking proof for healthy beliefs). And just use the notion that the image in the mirror can be different for everyone as a slightly lesser point or limit this chapter to only the notion of it being different for everyone.

Millions of pages have been written about letting go of old beliefs and taking on new ones so that notion can easily be its own chapter(s). If you just wanted to "punch-this-up" I would just add a few lines about how we might fail to see a new perspective we need because we are busy looking for proof of our unhealthy old beliefs. And, if we were just more open and able to "clean the mirror" of all the dust from past programming, we would be able to see what we need and not what are old beliefs are looking for now.

One of the comments mentioned the idea of the mirror being able to show what you believe now. Maybe the mirror has 2 sides and one shows now (seeking proof for unhealthy beliefs) and the other shows what you really need (Healthy beliefs) to change your reality. It can help to see where you are and where you are going. Hope that was helpful. Great to see you writing. Thanks for the sneak peak

a good reminder that we have much more power than we usually think.
Our thoughts and beliefs create our reality and there's no other reality than our own!

Hi Derek

This is a wonderful chapter.
Connected to this, there is the need for open mindedness. In trying to see conformation everywhere, there is also the obligation to everyone, besides seeing the things they see, to try having a perspective, it could also work from the other way around. Nowadays the most important skill to inhabit.

Thanks!

Victor

It was so clear from the first post, beautifully written! <3
It's so sad to me that you had to explain it to others. I have yet to find a more positive view :) (like, we can influence them for the better, yes, but they can be influenced by anyone, too)

This explores an idea I’ve had for a very long time, the concept of “what if” we are all create our own world, like a matrix, with our beliefs that are either based on what we need, want, fear, etc. It is true to some extent that we all perceive the world through a unique lens that we create from experiences and beliefs, but then this begs the question of what is actually real, and what is actually true. When the book comes out, I plan to digest it thoroughly, which will likely result in my own private existential crisis. Everyone is invited.

Not sure how to respond to this... except that maybe we see what we want to or need to in the world. If I were to take a stance, I'd say we have the right to see what we want or need. That we don't have to see it someone else's way or change our way for someone else, or be accepting of everyone else's ways in our reality. Peace and love, and everything goes, isn't for everyone.

Maybe I need to read your original post on these ideas for a better response.

How do you draw the line between relentless and useful self-belief vs faulty delusions?

Thanks Derek,

Points well taken. That's one way of looking at belief. The Bottomline: Believe in yourself.

"Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal." Earl Nightingale

All the best,
Ernie

I like it. And so true! I like this one much better.

So true. I think of it, and maybe you do too, as confirmation bias, the blinder we put on to confirm with relief and satisfaction what we suspect. And you are also right in seeing that whatever our perspective there is corroborating "evidence" to support our suspicion or even delusion. I wonder, is this an artifact of contemporary society? Traditional communities, where narratives and actions were more circumscribed, by religion, custom, gossip and common law did not so readily allow us to manufacture and receive confirmation of a non-conforming belief. And now with ai at our beck and call we can, like Potter's mirror, have it manufacture all the reasons needed to chart and confirm the course of our beliefs.

This also puts me in mind of shooting an arrow (what you most need to believe) and then running after it...We need to believe the arrow is there.

And, to follow your example...another metaphor!

A woman has just played on a virtual reality headset for the first time. It blew her mind. The intermingling of computer programming and personal autonomy.

That night, the clasp is stuck on her watch. Try as she might, she can't remove it. Suddenly, she knows what to do. She closes her eyes, returns to the virtual reality state and removes her watch easily.

She opens her eyes and KNOWS she can do it. So she does.

This is a long way round to say, perhaps we're becoming more conscious of this AI? Or perhaps we can...and that really, anything is possible!

Thanks for sharing your editing process, it's really helped me to see that even 'greats' like yourself play around. Love your writing. Love you exist Mr Severs

From a song I'm working on:
There will be sorrow and there will be pain
But the sun's always shining behind all the rain
And if you'll be wise, to your own self be true
You can have everything you want, on this journey you're traveling thru

... the secret is; to know what you truly want...

I would like to be handheld to know what a real-life example is of the magic mirror device that shows us the beliefs/perspectives we want/need to see. Perhaps an anecdotal story to complement this idea.

The cynical view I have is that the current real-life devices we have (social media, ads, etc) show us the lack vs the proof of potential we have within us,

Either way, thanks for the sneak preview and sharing this content early Derek,


Adam

Indeed, but that's why we are living in a kind of Tower of Babel world today, because people have many beliefs, some of them actually destructive and crazy, and if a person has an obscene amount of money and influence as well, (Bill Gates anyone?) and a generous helping of hubris, need I say more... Only God knows what Bill sees when he looks in the mirror...

Yes often difficult to get opposing views. How do you get balanced news, information seems curated or biased towards the viewer or the information providers opinions. I want to know if I am right or wrong not a fabrication.

I wasn't expecting that! It's the prism theory, its kinda sad with all the tech and innovation how we forget simple and truth, with that we wouldn't need AI.

New version is definitely more clear than the prior version. You seem to be taking the optimistic view that the beliefs people have are actually the ones that suit their situation. How about the people who have beliefs that are unhelpful in terms of creating the life they desire?

A whole other discussion would be about whether you think there is actually a true or not true.

Very interesting! What each sees is different because their desires are different. What each believes is different because of many things—worldview, social circles, books read, indoctrination into society by their parents, religion, etc.

To me, what is most interesting in this is the amount of people who put their own perspectives, desires, or beliefs on others—expecting or assuming that others should have the same and thus, be doing the same with their life. Oblivious to the fact that what someone else's mirror showed them is unique to them.

Oftentimes, because of this we even justify our own decisions or lives by surrounding ourselves with others that think the same or have done the same. Instead of, being in awe of the differences in people's beliefs and choices.

Outside of our indoctrination into society and culture by parents and then by peers and possibly religions, we are marketed towards certain behaviors and beliefs eg. going to college, taking care of parents in their old age, having kids, getting marries, buying the house, being busy, etc.

So, while what we each see in the mirror may be different, are we actually all truly following our own paths/desires?

It took me some time to realise that when things don't make sense from where I'm standing, zooming out and looking at everything in perspective helps.

Hi Derek! Always something to think on. Reality, I believe, has truth , Universal truth, though yes we all see life through the grid of our making. But not everything is formulated for personal consumption. Truth is like that. We're not in control of truth. We can receive it, digest it, have faith in it. Watch it change us. To some it is salvation, to some a rock of offense. True, nevertheless.