“Once we hear the story and accept it as true, we rarely bother to question it.” - Adam Grant, Think Again
It was nice to catch up with my friend Dion yesterday about anything and everything from life to reminiscing about our sabbaticals to Adam Grant’s new book, “Think Again.” It’s probably one of my development themes for the year (for life)—to unlearn, relearn, unthink, rethink.
From the racial riots that spread like wildfire to the every day unconscious biases we all hold—how many times have we been fed a belief (especially as children) that was never unquestioned?
“A hallmark of wisdom is knowing when it’s time to abandon some of your most treasured tools—and some of the most cherished parts of your identity.”
Beliefs form our identities, but what happens when those beliefs are challenged? Our identities become shattered and as humans, we tend to deviate away from conflict and anything that disturbs our identities. But I’ve come to learn that it is the change in beliefs that really forms the basis of development. If I still hold the same, exact beliefs I did when I was a child, have I truly grown up?
To challenge our beliefs and to truly unlearn and think again, we must be open to change. Open to challenging our beliefs. Open to constructive conflict (or debate as Adam calls it). We must straddle the line between routine and change in order to constantly assess and rewire (if necessary) our mental systems. We must be open to hearing the other side. To experiment. To think like a scientist. Before we can truly reach a decision that really comes from within, not from the external. That is growth.