The 6 Habits of People Who Are Truly Open-Minded
Learning someone else’s story is the best way to improve our own
Every Monday, for three years now, I sit down and reach out to someone who is doing something I admire requesting a chance to speak with them.
I try not to prepare too many talking points and prefer to see where the conversation takes us. One question, however, I do try to ask each person is their definition of the word “cool,” as it provides insights as to what they value.
Whether it’s a 19-year-old entrepreneur in India or a recovered heroin addict pursuing his Ph.D. in neuroscience and mindfulness in Ireland, the overwhelming majority of the people define cool as someone who possesses that sweet mix of kindness and curiosity.
In short, the people they think are cool are open-minded and eager to learn about the people around them.
After seeing the same heartbreaking events play out again, and again, and again, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it takes to be open-minded.
I’ve also been thinking a lot about how I’ve felt when I’ve been on the receiving end of the actions of open-minded people.
After some thought, below are the 6 habits I’ve come up with.
