Write belief updates as 'Based on [evidence], I am…

When This Fires

• When evidence contradicts a belief you hold
• After a prediction fails and you need to update the model that produced it
• During any belief-revision moment where the instinct is to dismiss the evidence rather than update
• When reviewing past decisions reveals that a previously held model was wrong

Common Failure Mode

Updating silently — changing your behavior without explicitly revising the stated belief. You stop acting on the old model but never write the update, which means the old model persists in your documentation and in conversations with others. Explicit written updates ensure that the revision is reflected everywhere the old model appeared.

The Protocol

When evidence triggers belief revision: (1) Write: "Based on [specific evidence], I am updating my model from [old version: state what you previously believed] to [new version: state what you now believe]." (2) Note the specific change: what exactly is different between old and new? (3) Store the update with the original belief — not as a replacement but as a versioned revision, preserving the epistemic history. (4) The format makes revision feel like instrument calibration (systematic, competent) rather than defeat (embarrassing, threatening).