What if your core beliefs — the things that make you, you — were wrong?
I must admit, I have never been a very spiritual person. I have been an atheist (a fairly militant one at that) for most of my life. I prided myself on logic and reason, yet as I began to read more, I realized every philosophical school of thought pointed to something greater. God, the Universe, logos, Fate, the list goes on. As I sat with some of the ideas about higher powers, an obvious question arose — what do I know that the wisest people in history didn’t? It dawned on me that the core beliefs that governed my life may be worth re-litigating. Specifically, why was I so sure that there is not a higher power? After tons of reading, soul-searching, and some personal experience, I have come to believe that there is a higher power that gives us all a unique path, the ability to find it, and the agency to walk it.
Consider the remarkable journey that led to our existence — billions of years of dependent events, the formation of our planet, the emergence of life, and countless generations of ancestors. After all of this, we possess consciousness and self-awareness that allow us to conceptualize our existence. For me, this gift of consciousness transcends random occurrence and leads me to believe we are part of something greater than ourselves - that our journey is a manifestation of deeper design. If this is true, we are all an expression of the divine.
Whether you are ready to believe or not, the option is there for you. And once you take the leap of faith, you’ll feel unstoppable. You will have access to a superpower you have never dreamed of. At the height of Muhammad Ali’s career, one of the most resilient athletes of all time, the world turned against him. He faced prison, the stripping of his heavyweight title, and the hatred of millions of his countrymen. Most people would have buckled. But his faith gave him unshakeable clarity in his path:
“I strongly believe God will take care of everything ... My faith makes me fearless.”
This is the superpower of belief. Your worries float away. Purpose fills your bones. The exhaustion from trying to control every variable subsides. The comparisons to others fade into the periphery. The doubts in your head become laughably fake. As life throws you off course and sends you in different directions, belief is the North Star that always brings you back to your path.
This begs the question: does agency exist if you are surrendering to a higher power? I hold very dear that anything you want in life is achievable. It may seem contradictory to believe both in a higher power and in full agency. In reality, belief doesn't reduce agency, it amplifies the impact of it — the difference being wasting your god-given gifts on an unfulfilling life or using them to get everything you want out of life.
Consider this analogy, which illustrates how belief and agency can work together: Believing is like being given a map and a compass to climb a mountain. Having these resources doesn't diminish the challenge or your role in the journey. Agency is simply whether you have the courage to take the next step forward on the path, to keep moving when the path gets steep, and to trust your inner compass when you reach a fork in the road. Sometimes the trail is clearly marked and you just have to have the courage to walk it. Sometimes the fog rolls in and you need to find your bearings again. In the compass of your heart, you know when you're on the right path and when you need to change direction. The map and compass are divine gifts, but it is your responsibility, your agency, to use them to find and walk your path.
You may not be ready to believe today, but just consider the possibility because it may change your life. Belief is trusting that God has given you everything you need to find your unique path. Agency is exercising your choice to walk down that path. Combine the two, and your hero’s journey begins. The choice is yours.
Amor fati.