Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
Why do we refresh our wardrobes every year, renovate our kitchens every decade, but never update our beliefs and our views? Why do we laugh at people using computers that are ten years old, but yet still cling to opinions we formed ten years ago?
For too many of us, our ways of thinking become habits that we don't bother to question, and mental laziness leads us to prefer the ease of old routines to the difficulty of new ones. We fail to update the beliefs we formed in the past for the challenges we face in the present. But in a rapidly changing world, we need to spend as much time rethinking as we do thinking.
'THINK AGAIN' is a book about the benefit of doubt, and about how we can get better at embracing the unknown and the joy of being wrong. Evidence has shown that creative geniuses are not attached to one identity, but constantly willing to rethink their stances and that leaders who admit they don't know something and seek critical feedback lead more productive and innovative teams.
New evidence shows us that as a mindset and a skillset, rethinking can be taught and Grant explains how to develop the necessary qualities to do it. Section 1 explores why we struggle to think again and how we can learn to do it as individuals, arguing that 'grit' alone can actually be counterproductive. Section 2 discusses how we can help others think again through learning about 'argument literacy'. And the final section 3 looks at how schools, businesses and governments fall short in building cultures that encourage rethinking.
In the end, learning to rethink may be the secret skill to give you the edge in a world changing faster than ever.
Running Time => 6hrs. and 40mins.
©2021 Adam Grant (P)2021Penguin Audio
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant is a thought-provoking and insightful book that challenges our assumptions about knowledge and learning. Grant argues that we often hold onto our beliefs too tightly and that this can lead to missed opportunities and poor decision-making. He encourages us to be more open-minded and to embrace the possibility that we might be wrong.
Grant begins the book by discussing the "illusion of knowledge." This is the tendency to believe that we know more than we actually do. We often overestimate our own abilities and underestimate the complexity of the world around us. This can lead to us making mistakes and missing out on important information.
Grant then goes on to discuss the importance of being open-minded. He argues that we need to be willing to challenge our beliefs and to consider new evidence. This can be difficult, but it is essential for learning and growth. Grant provides a number of strategies for becoming more open-minded, such as seeking out diverse perspectives, listening to feedback, and being willing to admit when we are wrong.
Finally, Grant discusses the power of knowing what you don't know. He argues that this is a key ingredient for success. When we know what we don't know, we are more likely to seek out information and to learn new things. This can lead to better decision-making and more innovative solutions to problems.
Think Again is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn how to think more clearly and make better decisions. Grant's insights are backed by research, and he provides a number of practical strategies for becoming more open-minded and embracing the power of not knowing.
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