Message of the Day - Change Your Mind Once in a While

Good Morning,

 

In my current read "Just Do Something" by Kevin DeYoung (http://www.amazon.com/Just-Do-Something-Decision-Without/dp/0802458386/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254303061&sr=1-1). There is a section on people who never change their mind. They, for some reason, be it ego, be it hubris, or simple stubbornness refuse to change their minds when they are confronted with information which contradicts when they know to be true.

 

I remember in my teen years my step-dad and I would get into arguments at the dinner table. Most of the time he was right, and most of the time I thought I was right. What was most interesting to me is when I knew I was right, having just researched or read something, and my step-dad found he was wrong, he would not admit it. We would get into a heated exchange and he would leave the dinner table in a huff and go to their bedroom.

 

How often have we done the same thing? We have our beliefs and understandings and when challenged, and we KNOW that what we believe or know is wrong, we refuse to change our minds. Its as if admitting we are wrong is going to put a black mark on our ego or is a sign of weakness or stupidity. Like we are going to get a demerit or something for admitting that at some time or some place we were wrong about something.

 

Oddly it works the other way. As we see others who refuse to change their minds when faced with incontrovertible proof that their point or idea is wrong, we don't see them as strong or smart. We see the opposite. We see them as bull-headed and ignorant.

 

I tell folks that I would rather be correct than right. This means that I want to have the correct information. If what I believe or know is wrong, then I want to know so I can change my mind and absorb and adapt to the new information.

 

This may make me seem like I waver from time to time as my beliefs and understand change, but as you will find out, we are right more and more of the time as we accept the times when we are wrong and correct ourselves.

 

Being right is not a test where you get a gold star on your forehead for holding your viewpoint no matter what.

 

Being correct is more important, even if you had to change your mind a few times along the way to end up being correct!

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Sanford Berenberg

Sanford@berenberg.net

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