"Man is always prey to his truths. Once he has admitted them, he cannot free himself from them."

The essence of this quote digs into the idea that once we accept something as the truth, it becomes an integral part of our worldview and can be challenging to shake off, even if it no longer serves us. It’s like a binding contract with your own perception—once signed, it's hard to renegotiate the terms.

This notion can be traced back to various philosophical and psychological ideas. Think about the age-old battle between belief and reality. When someone embraces a belief or an idea as an absolute truth, it starts to shape their decisions, actions, and perceptions of the world. Consider historical periods like the Enlightenment, where new truths about science and reason began to overthrow long-held dogmas. People who embraced these truths found themselves both liberated and bound—liberated from ignorance but bound by the new frameworks of thinking they adopted.

Imagine a young entrepreneur who believes that hard work is the only way to succeed. This belief drives them to work late nights, weekends, and holidays. They achieve success, no doubt, but at the cost of their health and personal relationships. Even when they realize they need a better work-life balance, it’s tough to let go of that core truth. They’re trapped by it, prey to it, even when it’s no longer the whole picture.

So, how can you use this wisdom in your life? First, recognize which truths you’re clinging to. Are they helping you, or holding you back? If you find yourself stuck, challenge those truths. It’s like spring cleaning for your mind—some beliefs need to be dusted off and examined under new light. Don’t be afraid to update your mental framework.

Picture this: you’ve always believed that asking for help is a sign of weakness. Growing up, you were praised for being independent. This belief served you well through school and early in your career. But now, you’re leading a team and feeling overwhelmed. The old truth—that asking for help is weak—is no longer useful. It’s time to rewrite that belief. Imagine the relief and progress once you start seeing asking for help as a strength, as a means of collaboration and growth.

A relatable scenario might be learning to ride a bike. When you were a kid, you might have believed that falling was the worst thing that could happen. You clung to that truth, making you fearful and hesitant. But once you fell a couple of times and realized you could get back up, you rewrote that truth. Falling wasn’t the end of the world—it was a part of learning. This new truth, that failure is a step towards mastery, probably helped you in many areas of life beyond just biking.

In a nutshell, our truths are powerful—they shape us, guide us, and sometimes trap us. The trick is to keep them flexible, to allow for growth and change. Think of your truths like software updates. They need regular updating and patching to keep you running smoothly. So, what truth are you currently prey to? And how might you start setting yourself free?