Getting Started with Socrates 2.0
These are some examples of common unhelpful beliefs that many people experience. When working with Socrates 2.0, you can choose a belief from this list if it resonates with you or come up with one of your own.
Negative Beliefs About the World and Others
1. The world is a dangerous place.
2. People can’t be trusted.
3. I can’t rely on other people.
4. I have to be on guard all the time.
5. People will take advantage of me.
6. People always disappoint me.
7. If people really get to know me, they won’t like me.
8. People only care about themselves.
Hopelessness
1. I have no future.
2. Things are never going to get better.
3. Things will never change.
4. I’ve missed my chance to be happy.
5. What’s the point in trying?
6. I’ll always feel this way.
7. I’m stuck in a rut.
8. I’ll never be happy again.
Self-Worth
1. I don’t deserve good things.
2. I’m not good enough.
3. People only like me when I’m useful to them.
4. No one would want to be with someone like me.
5. All I do is make mistakes.
6. I’m a burden to the people around me.
7. I’m too much for people to handle.
8. I’m a disappointment.
Making Assumptions
1. My friend didn’t text me back because they are mad at me.
2. People think I’m annoying.
3. My boss must think I’m incompetent.
4. I have to keep everyone happy.
5. People are always upset with me.
6. People talk about me behind my back.
7. They didn’t ask how I’m doing because they don’t care.
8. People are only nice to me because they feel sorry for me.
Perfectionism and Pressure
1. I have to be perfect to be accepted.
2. I can’t relax until everything is done.
3. If I slow down, I’ll fall behind.
4. People will think I’m lazy if I’m not always busy.
5. I have to handle everything on my own.
6. If I make a mistake, people will lose respect for me.
7. I have to prove myself constantly.
8. If I don’t do it myself, it won’t be done right.
How to Identify Your Own Unhelpful Beliefs
Socrates 2.0 can work with any belief- even ones not on the list above. If you would like to come up with your own, you can use this guide to help shape your belief into something Socrates 2.0 can work with effectively.
It is helpful to pick a challenging belief when chatting with Socrates 2.0. to work with is something A challenging belief is one that feels true but you are not completely sure about or that may be unhelpful or inaccurate.
What makes a good challenging belief:
It’s a statement, not a question.
✅ “It was my fault the trauma happened.”
❌ “Was it my fault?”
It’s short and specific.
✅ “I am weak.”
❌ “I am weak and I should have done more and maybe if I had tried harder things would be different.”
It’s a belief, not just a feeling.
Feeling: “I feel guilty.”
Belief: “I should have stopped it.”
It often uses absolutes or strong language.
Look for words like always, never, should, can’t, have to, etc.
✅ “People can’t be trusted.”
✅ “I should have done more.”
Additional Tips for Shaping Beliefs
Socrates 2.0 works best with beliefs about you or how you see the world—not just opinions about others.
✅ “I can’t trust people.”
❌ “My ex is the worst person alive.”
2. Use present-tense phrasing when possible.
✅ “I’m not good enough.”
❌ “I wasn’t good enough back then.”
3. Avoid stacking multiple beliefs into one.
✅ “I’m a burden.”
❌ “I’m a burden, I never do anything right, and people probably hate me.”
4. If you’re not sure what your belief is, start with a feeling (e.g., sad, angry, or embarrassed) and ask yourself:
“What does this say about me, other people, or the world?”
Feeling: “I feel sad after messing up the presentation.”
Belief: “I always mess things up.”
