Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know

In performance cultures, people often become attached to best practices. The risk is that once we’ve declared a routine the best, it becomes frozen in time. We preach about its virtues and stop questioning its vices, no longer curious about where it’s imperfect and where it could improve.

I believe that good teachers introduce new thoughts, but great teachers introduce new ways of thinking.

If we’re comfortable being wrong, we’re not afraid to poke fun at ourselves. Laughing at ourselves reminds us that although we might take our decisions seriously, we don’t have to take ourselves too seriously.

Research shows that when people are resistant to change, it helps to reinforce what will stay the same. Visions for change are more compelling when they include visions of continuity. Although our strategy might evolve, our identity will endure.

We learn more from people who challenge our thought process than those who affirm our conclusions. Strong leaders engage their critics and make themselves stronger. Weak leaders silence their critics and make themselves weaker. This reaction isn’t limited to people in power. Although we might be on board with the principle, in practice we often mis

Great thinkers don’t harbor doubts because they’re impostors. They maintain doubts because they know we’re all partially blind and they’re committed to improving their sight.

Building a sense of purpose often starts with taking actions to enhance your learning or your contribution to others.

At X, Google’s “moonshot factory”: Derek Thompson, “Google X and the Science of Radical Creativity,” The Atlantic,

concept. See yourself as someone who values curiosity, learning, mental flexibility, and searching for knowledge.