Why do you believe what you believe?

How often do you stop to consider that question?

For decades, a majority of American car buyers thought Toyota made the highest quality and safest cars for the money.

What do you suppose the majority of American car buyers think about Toyota cars right about now?

Key question: what caused the change?

The easy answer is: the recalls caused the change.

A more sophisticated answer is: the news coverage of the recalls caused the change.

But neither of those answers recognizes the deeper lesson: management (or mismanagement) of how and when a story is told powerfully influences the stories we believe and tell ourselves.

How many of your beliefs did you choose consciously?