When and why to change your mind.

I’ve just finished Think Again by Adam Grant. The book is a brilliant expansion on lesson #1, “Don’t believe everything you think,” from last week’s letter. Expansion… maybe, perhaps explanation is the better word. At the end of the book is a section called “Actions for Impact,” which offers practical guidance on how to change your mind. This week, I’d like to examine some of the best actions Adam has offered us. Before we start, how many of these answers do you know? <ul> <li>Why English became the official language of the United States</li> <li>Why women were burned at the stake in Salem</li> <li>What job Walt Disney had before he drew Mickey Mouse</li> <li>On which spaceflight humans first laid eyes on the Great Wall of China</li> <li>Why eating candy affects how kids behave</li> </ul> We will get to the answers in a minute. But first… Think like a scientist. Right away, Adam’s first piece of actionable advice is to resist the urge to preach and share new ideas before examining them like a scientist tests a hypothesis. If you are just starting to learn stoicism, be a stealth stoic. Don’t go around pointing out where others are not being “Stoic.” If you are just starting to learn about Christianity, be a stealth Christian. Don’t immediately try to convert everyone you meet. Keep to yourself for a while, figure out what you actually think, and then share when prompted. Seek out information that goes against your views. Someone recently wrote me a letter with this lesson included in it. And it continues to reappear. I learned from my Mom that there is always another side to an argument; that is why there is an argument. If someone does not think like you, try to figure out why. Be genuinely curious. You might be wrong. <a href="https://medium.com/@ieuanhiggins/when-and-why-to-change-your-mind-7b2a1759f59d">Read More</a>