If you have read the Sunday Reflections emails consistently over time you probably already know that I am a big fan of Brian Johnson and his work with Heroic. Brain is who introduced me to the idea of Arete (living to be your best self moment to moment).
I have followed his work for a number of years and it has had a huge influence on my life. One component of his work is Philosphers Notes. These are simply summaries of big ideas from personal development books distilled into quick, meaningful, practical, wisdom that helps you live a high Heroic Life.
He currently has 700 such notes and has the goal of knocking out 1,000 by the end of the year.
Two things come to mind when I reflect on the number of these note that I have either listened to or read over the last several years.
1. There are many diverse and interesting perspectives on personal development and how to lead your best life. One person’s ideas may be presented in a way that clicks or resonates with you more than another.
2. When you examine these different perspectives you begin to realize there are some common themes and principles among them.
One common principle is the power of belief.
I have added several previous posts on belief to our blog where you can read more.
Here is my interpretation of one perspective on belief from my friend and mentor, Thom Shea.
In Unbreakable, Thom Shea makes a very clear and practical distinction between hope and belief, especially in high-stress, high-consequence environments like special operations—and by extension, life, training, and leadership.
Hope
Shea describes hope as passive and externally dependent.
- Hope is wanting a favorable outcome without control over the process.
- It often sounds like: “I hope this works out,” or “I hope I feel better tomorrow.”
- In Shea’s framework, hope can be dangerous because it places responsibility outside the individual and can lead to waiting, wishing, or emotional volatility when conditions worsen.
Hope is not inherently bad—but it is insufficient under pressure.
Belief
Belief, by contrast, is active, internal, and behavior-driven.
- Belief is a decision rooted in preparation, standards, and repeatable actions.
- It sounds like: “I believe I will succeed because I’ve done the work, and I will execute regardless of circumstances.”
- Belief does not require certainty of outcome—only certainty of process and response.
Shea emphasizes that belief is built through:
- Training under stress
- Commitment to standards
- Doing the work when motivation is absent
- Repeated proof through action
Core Distinction
A concise way Shea frames it:
Hope is wishing for an outcome.
Belief is committing to the behaviors that make the outcome likely—no matter how you feel.
Why This Matters
In Shea’s worldview:
- Hope fluctuates with emotion and conditions.
- Belief remains stable because it is anchored to identity, discipline, and execution.
This is why Shea argues that elite performers don’t hope they’ll show up—they believe they will, because their habits, preparation, and standards make any other outcome unacceptable.
I may even take it a step further by saying that Thom’s interpretation of belief could be better described as “knowing.’’