If you want to have the most growth. You must have an open mind.
I often think about what are our biggest opportunities to learn, and to grow, and to be further forward tomorrow than where we are at today. I think one of the most important traits that allows for efficient growth and human potential is open-mindedness.
First, let’s define what open-minded is. Open-minded is being willing to consider new ideas. It’s being unprejudiced to how your current state is. AND here is a big one, it is caring enough about yourself to listen to others, even when the advice isn’t something you want to hear.
Here is why I am sharing that. Often, we may ask others for advice but then, fail to accept what it is that they have to offer, especially if it doesn’t coincide with what we think we want. And sometimes, it isn’t that we are asking for advice, but for reinforcement of what we are already doing. Meaning, we want the other party to simply tell us we are doing great – so we can feel reinforced that what we have done up to this point is the right thing or is good enough.
Just keep in mind the people that care about us the most, and care about their integrity, to be honest, are the ones that will be honest. They will tell us the truth – good, bad, or ugly. And sometimes, that opens our eyes, but only if we approach this with an open mind up front.
We must be willing to at least genuinely consider and play through what the potential outcomes are if we do things some way that is not the way we are considering doing them … right now.
For example – if you ask a best friend, or a spouse, “What is it that I do that annoys you?” You better be prepared mentally and emotionally for the answer. Because they know the answer. And probably you know the answer… but you have to be asking the question from a place that truly has you willing to grow… or you will reject whatever answer that is given.
And I’ll give you a tip – it won’t change anyway. It already annoys them now… they just feel that you can’t handle the truth. So we stay cordial and polite.
So if you want to grow… Come from a place of confidence and ask really good questions. You just have to accept when you receive really good answers.
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