There are three major players in the belief systems you pick up that influence your family culture the most. Author James Clear refers to these players as “the close,” “the many,” and “the powerful.” The close refers to your family and your community. The many refers to society at large and the commonly accepted narratives and norms you witness in the media and marketing. The powerful refers to the influencers, the leaders, and the game-changers throughout history who set the cultural expectations of your beliefs and identities.

If you aren't aware, these three players can keep us stuck in a cultural identity that influences your thoughts, behaviors, and patterns. Because of the way humans are wired, we don’t want to be different. We learn early on how to fit in so we don’t get into trouble, or we learn when to stand out when we want to get what we want! We pick up beliefs about who we are to explain to ourselves how the world works and where we fit into the grand scheme of things.