Derek Sivers
from the book “Useful Not True”:

Beliefs are not facts

2026-01-05

Whenever someone says, “I believe …”, then whatever they say next is not true. If it was a fact, there would be no need to declare a belief.

You don’t say, “I believe in squirrels.” You don’t say, “I believe squares have four sides.” It’s just a fact, so there’s no need to take a stance.

You say “I believe” when it’s not a fact that everyone can see. Since people view it differently, you share your perspective on how you see it.

A belief is something you think is true, without proof. A fact is an objective reality — something proven true — verified with conclusive evidence.

No beliefs are true. If a belief was proven true, it would no longer be a belief.

Galileo believed the planets orbit around the sun, but he didn’t have proof. Hundreds of years later, when it was proven true, it ceased to be a belief and became a fact. But in his lifetime, it was just a belief.

Beliefs are a stance on what’s inconclusive. You have to say “I believe …” because it’s not the only answer. It’s not a fact. (Not yet.)

Useful Not True book chapter cover