The following video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTtpXWX6a9w) gave me some perspective of at least one factor as to why that might be, so here are some things I learned:

A paradigm shift is when you have a fundamental belief, perspective or worldview that gets challenged by new information and thus changes the former view, philosophy or worldview you had.

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for and interpret information supporting or confirming one’s primary belief (paradigm), worldview or perspective. You keep yourself locked into your paradigm by ignoring evidence to the contrary: you become less open to change, being teachable or humble. People become less likely, to look further than the surface.

As Simon Sinek says in his book ‘Start with Why: “We make assumptions about the world around us, based on incomplete or false information. This is important because our behaviour is affected by our assumptions and perceived truths. We make decisions based on what we think we know. “You have to be careful with what you think you know. Assumptions, you see, even when based on sound research, can lead us astray.”

We should always consider what we are using to measure whether something is true or not. Unfortunately, this is a grey area (an abstract concept) and thus open to interpretation.

People with solid values, when something comes along that challenges their current belief, perspective or worldview. They can re-evaluate the new information, integrate it by using their core values as a guide and not lose themselves. They can even emerge as a better version of themselves, just like Diana.

People with weak values, who believe so deeply in their belief, perspective, or worldview that when something comes along, challenges that and forced to re-evaluate, can lead to two consequences. They either lose themselves or refuse to believe it and become a bit nasty in their behaviour towards those with a different paradigm.

The storyteller will influence the perspective, as in the movie where Diana is framed as a powerful female (Wonder Woman) character rather than a sexual one (Justice League). As Diana’s mother said to her: “The world of men did not deserve you. They don’t deserve our help” to protect Diana. Aries says the same thing, but to use Diana to destroy men. Both use the same message but have different purposes. It is easier to tell the truth, and taint it with lies to manipulate the minds of the younger and susceptible. It can affect them later when they have a significant and catastrophic paradigm shift.

Some people’s purpose is to inspire those who make a difference. Like Steve did for Diana before he went up in the plane with the gas: ‘It has to be me. I can save today. You can save the world’. Character-driven movies are incredible, so is character-driven lives. Those with the power and authority to do something choose to do so or not.

The basic Christian message; Jesus died for men, ‘not because they deserve it, but it’s not about that. As Diana says this about humans: ‘They’re everything you say. And so much more. Not about deserve. It’s about what you believe. And I believe in Love’. God came down as a man and died for humanity’s sins, taking their punishment while He is innocent because He loves them all. People are not always good; it is just who they are. ‘Inside every one of them, there will always be both good and bad, and each one will have to choose what they want to do and be, moment to moment, for themselves. A choice no hero can make for them. Even when He did that, to save us from corruption – it becomes our choice to accept that gift or not. We should teach children how they can always choose that when they ‘see something wrong in the world you can either do nothing, or you can do something’ as Steve’s dad said. But add what Albert Einstein said: ‘you are free to make any decision, you are not free of the consequences.

As Jonothan said: ‘We don’t have superpowers. We can all inspire. We can all give, not what people deserve, but we can give that unmerited grace. We can give that kindness’.

I aspire to follow precisely that example that Jesus has set for me every day, with my clients, people I can potentially help and even those who ridicule me for being different from them in my industry. I have been learning how to love those who hate me; it is hard, and how to choose the people around me, who I need to remind me to keep doing so, every day.

I try to influence spread information with the resources I have to those who contact me to coach both ends of the leash because I have more power, knowledge and authority in my subject as a Dog Owner Coach than others.

#paradigmchallenge How have you handled information that might be contrary to your paradigm? Are you willing to be vulnerable, to make that shift, even if you fear that you might lose yourself, for the possibility to become a better you?