So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss. If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose. If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Belief can shape the planes, yet we know there are conditions to be met in order to have a belief take effect. Living, dying, magic: all are manifestations of this basic principle.
Nice work.