Keep an Open Mind to Learn New Things

One of the greatest personal development tools one can have is the ability to keep an open mind in every situation. Keeping an open mind means listening with intent to understand, and seriously considering what the other person is saying. Too often, we make crucial mistakes that hinder our ability to learn. We:

• Already have our minds made up about a topic or situation and are not open to additional information or new perspectives.
• Wait for the other person to finish so we can respond, without truly listening to what they are saying.
• Think we can only learn from certain people instead of everybody.

Have an Open Mind

The next time somebody has a conflicting opinion about something, listen intently. We are good, not great, at doing this when it is for something small such as liking onions vs. not liking onions. However, when bigger topics arise, such as political views, we are quick to get defensive and completely dismiss the other person without listening to their reasoning.

Listening to somebody else’s point of view does not mean you have to agree with them. It means you are giving yourself the opportunity to learn more information from which you can make a better decision. Go in with an open mind that they can be correct. If you still disagree after truly having an open mind, then that is totally fine. If anything, it is further solidifying and strengthening your opinion on the matter.

Charlie Munger, the Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and good friend of Warren Buffet once said “I never allow myself to hold an opinion on anything that I don’t know the other side’s argument better than they do.”

Listening with an open mind to the other side’s argument will either strengthen your own viewpoint or change it thanks to new information. Either way, it’s a win-win.

We Can Learn from Anybody and Everybody

Last week, I attended a work conference. As is the norm, many speakers went on stage giving presentations on different industry topics within the world of marketing. Being a marketing professional, most if not all of the information were things that I already knew. A lot of the material was considered “beginner level” and basic. However, I still feel like I excreted a lot of value from the conference because I went in with an open mind.

I shifted my mindset to every conversation is an opportunity to learn.

It doesn’t matter if I am talking to an 80 year old, 8 year old, seasoned CEO, or entry-level employee. I truly believe if you keep an open mind and are willing to believe you can learn something from anyone, you will.

Now, not every conversation will be groundbreaking. Some will always be more valuable. Talking to a subject matter expert in a field you do not know much about or the CEO of your company is almost guaranteed to teach you something new if you pay attention.

But there are golden nuggets in every conversation.

Even talking to someone younger than you, something we often overlook, can be a great opportunity to learn. That person might be able to come in with fresh perspectives.

Talking to someone inexperienced can be a great opportunity to learn. They might ask a question that you hadn’t thought about before that gets your wheels turning.

Don’t limit yourself to thinking you can only learn certain things from certain people. Every conversation can be an opportunity to learn something new or challenge your current way of thinking.

When is the last time you learned something new? Who did you learn it from and did you keep an open mind?

Best,

Eric