In construction, a load-bearing structure is one you cannot remove, or the whole building falls down. In cognition, a load-bearing belief is one you cannot shake, or a person's whole worldview falls down.
Load-bearing beliefs are deeply engraved, seldomly reassessed. But if something does manage to topple such a belief, that's a moment when a person's life trajectory changes:
- A hard-working, career-oriented person might hold a belief that the biggest impact they can have on the world is through work. Perhaps they sacrifice their personal health and relationships for it. But then something radical might happen - like getting fired or realizing their work is net negative to society - that makes them re-evaluate their entire life (and take a year-long "spiritual journey" to Asia).
- The mid-life crisis is likely a toppling-down of the "I'm immortal" belief, a realization that you're going to die one day. When you're young, you tend to believe you have time for everything you want to do, some time in the future. But when this belief is finally disproven, a crisis ensues.
- There are load-bearing beliefs in matters of religion, namely "I believe" and "There is no God". When one is at their darkest hour, they might give up their beliefs and become anew - the stereotypical person who 'finds the light' or believes God has abandoned them.
When a person's load-bearing belief is struck down, they either rebuild themselves into something new, or they cognitive dissonance their way through, as letting go of the belief would ruin them mentally.