Exercise: “Digging into Peer Advice”

What you will get out of this

Before, we discovered the underlying beliefs behind peer advice that stuck with us instinctually. By closely analyzing these beliefs, we can pinpoint the ones that are most interesting and align with our current beliefs. It's important to explore these captivating beliefs because they have the potential to become our new fulfilling beliefs in the future.

This exercise helps us examine the beliefs underlying the peer advice we’ve received and select which of those beliefs we are most intrigued to explore within our own lives.

An example of this exercise at work

Step 1: Reflecting on the Essence of the Advice Received

Feel free to look back at your response to Chapter 3, Exercise: “Peer Advice”

Go to exercise

Remember, this isn't about deciding whether the advice is 'right' or 'wrong'. It's about uncovering your feelings towards these core beliefs. They may captivate you or, on the contrary, may not echo your sentiments. It's okay either way! The key is to be honest with yourself.

Let's consider an example. Say, one key belief underlying your mom's career advice is that 'minimizing risk is more important than maximizing potential gains'. As an ambitious young professional, you might feel a pull towards focusing on expanding your potential upside now, given the belief that there is sufficient time for recovery in case of failures. However, you may also realize that catastrophic risks, be it financial or reputational, could have enduring consequences, even early in your career. In the later stages of your career, when you might have additional responsibilities like a mortgage or a family, you may see the merit in prioritizing risk minimization. So, while you might not agree entirely with the notion of prioritizing risk minimization over potential gains at this point, you might start considering proactive steps to minimize catastrophic risks in your current scenario.