Think Again: 3: The Joy of Being Wrong

Here are my notes on reading the third chapter of Adam Grant’s “Think Again”.

• Be more graceful and accepting in moments when we discover that our beliefs might not be true
• Ideas survive not because they’re true, but because they’re interesting. It challenges our weakly held opinions.
• Our Inner Dictator comes out when attacks to our character or intelligence threaten to shatter aspects of our identity that are important to us and difficult to change. The ego tells us comforting lies that activates an overconfidence cycle.
• Attachment to our ideas and opinions keeps us from recognizing when our opinions are off the mark and rethinking is needed.
• Detachment — From Present to Past and From Your Opinions to your Identify.
• Detach from Your Present Self from Your Past Self. Using the graphic below identify where you are right now.

• Who you are/should be “what do I value” not “what are my opinions.”
• You need flexibility to update your practices in light of new evidence.
• See your opinions as hunches or possibilities to entertain rather than facts to embrace.
• Question ideas before accepting them.
• Seek new information and better evidence.
• “It doesn’t become the truth just because you believe it.” Adam Grant
• Identify a single reason why I might be wrong can curb my overconfidence.
• Mistakes are essential for progress.
• Be determined to reach the correct answer in the long run. Be open to stumbling, backtracking and rerouting in the short run.
• Go from proving myself to improving myself to seeing how good I can get.
• Cope with being wrong.
• “Doesn’t matter who’s fault it is if it’s your responsibility to fix it. “ Will Smith
• You have a choice when you receive new information. You can attach your opinions to your identify and not consider it or you can think like a scientist and question it.