“Everything has mind in the lead, has mind in the forefront, is made by the mind.” Thus opens the Dhammapada, the Buddha’s timeless collection of sayings.[15] Put another way, the world we believe in becomes the world we live in. If I see the world as a hostile place where only winners thrive, I may well become aggressive, selfish, and grandiose to survive in such a milieu. Later in life I will gravitate to competitive environments and endeavors that can only confirm that view and reinforce its validity. Our beliefs are not only self-fulfilling; they are world-building.
