Power Tool: Open-mindedness vs. Pre-conception

A Coaching Power Tool Created by Inas Ghanem
(Life coach, EGYPT)

A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open.― Frank Zappa

Each and every individual takes in information and processes it with pre-set concepts and learned patterns. Some of it is the influences of those you love and or respect having heard them express their opinion on any given subject. This opinion become implanted in a child’s mind and become a set answer to some questions.

Some opinion are isolated and the other view is also instill they may intertwine in places to make opinion based on that intertwining. All these early opinions and processes can be carried into adulthood. With the passage of time and the impact of a given issue these opinions and stances may change and drive the individual to change their opinion sometime to one that is geometrically opposite of their long held stances. People who can do this are characterised by being open minded.

open-minded

adjective: willing to consider new ideas; unprejudiced.

antonyms: prejudiced, judgemental, narrow-minded, opinionated

Open mindedness is when even if you think you are right, you know that you can be wrong and are always willing to listen to and hear an opposing or contradictory view.

Open minded people have views but know that their views do not have to be held by everyone. Open minded people also know that their views can be wrong.

An ability to not dismiss an idea with sneering contempt, simply because it does not fit within your preconceived notions.

Rather than preaching an intolerant ideal of “tolerance” you should strive to be more open minded.

The author of the post, Danielle DiPirro, (“Dani”) completed a book in 2012, Stay Positive: Daily Reminders from Positively Present, and has received some impressive press as of late. I was most impressed, however, by her reasons for stressing the ability to keep an open mind.

In short, Dani lists the top 7 benefits of having an open mind:

1. Letting go of control. When you open your mind, you free yourself from having to be in complete control of your thoughts. You allow yourself to experience new ideas and thoughts and you challenge the beliefs you currently have.
2. Experiencing changes. Opening up your mind to new ideas allows you to the opportunity to change what you think and how you view the world. Now, this doesn’t mean you necessarily will change your beliefs—in fact, the process may actually reinforce your current beliefs more strongly–but thinking with an open mind gives you the option of creating positive change and stronger results.
3. Making yourself vulnerable.One of the scariest (and greatest) things about seeing the world through an open mind is that you make yourself vulnerable. In agreeing to have an open-minded view of the world, you’re also admitting you don’t “know it all.” This vulnerability can be both terrifying and exhilarating.
4. Making mistakes.Making mistakes doesn’t seem like it would be much of a benefit, but I (and other Forbes contributors) have continually made the case that it is. When you allow yourself to see things from others’ perspectives, you gain the opportunity to “fail up”.
5. Strengthening yourself.Open-mindedness provides a platform to build upon, piling one idea on top of another. Everything you experience collectively “adds up,” strengthening the person you are and what you believe in. It’s very hard to build on experiences without an open mind.
6. Gaining confidence. When you live with an open mind, you have a strong sense of self. You are not confined by your own beliefs, nor nor the beliefs of others.
7. Being honest.Being open-minded means being honest enough to admit that you aren’t all-knowing. This understanding creates an underlying sense of authenticity that permeates the character of any person who lives with an open mind.

For some, being open-minded is as easy as breathing. For most others, it’s a challenge–something they have to think about constantly and make a continual effort to keep and obtain. The majority of people struggle with this concept. But making the effort to think openly and embrace new ideas—if you approach it truly–will produce untold benefits for your business and career (your personal life as well) in the seasons to come.