Sharing Ideas Sharing Thoughts

We have played all three parts countless times throughout our lives.  Let me explain! Let's say we do not like someone's idea, opinion or belief. We first adopt the role of a judge by decreeing that their idea is flawed (We believe that ours is the best) Then we get into the lawyer mode by lining up our arguments to prove them wrong. (we want to win here) And since usually the other party won't agree, we feel miserable. We experience several negative emotions, such as anger, disgust, frustration. We now blame them for our emotional distress.  My take -  1. " Strong Opinions, weakly held " is a great way to be mentally agile. I am willing to change my mind in the light of new information.  2. People don't change because you are logical. The more forcefully you argue the more the other party digs in the heels. Present the information and encourage them to think for themselves. 

Have you done any experiments with your life? Or have you always accepted the safety & the status quo?  If you do not try new things in your life then its like having the exact same food and wearing the exact same dress everyday.  I think there is merit in moving out of our comfort zone and to have an inquiry mindset. That's when we discover not just new things but also our true potential. Looking closely you will notice that we are conditioned by what surrounds us.  Since childhood we believed in what we were told. It sounded safe and practical. Isn't it a survival mindset. Does it sound like we were too afraid to think for ourselves. How about doing small tweaks. How about asking some good questions? How about listening to your heart. When we find meaning in our life, we forge a path forward. That's when the thought of tomorrow excites us. Because that's when we have a purpose in life. 

 In his book - Drive - author Dan Pink talks about the importance of intrinsic motivation. Human motivation is largely intrinsic. It is something that comes from within.  Part of the magic of learning and doing is that we are inspired to do it. We are drawn towards that task. No one is forcing us to do it. It doesn't mean that when someone asks us to do something (like in a school or in a job) we cannot do it well. We certainly can. But at some level we have chosen to be there. For example if I make you sit in a classroom in the Harvard University, you will learn only if you choose to make the effort. Similarly, I can give you the summary of a book but you will get it only when you have found those nuggets yourself.  Life is all about making choices. Choose well and choose often.

 An AI (Artificially Intelliegent) program is only as good as the training it got and the data set it was fed. If the code is not excellent, if the data is not sufficient / relevant then the outcome is not going to be great. So it is with humans.  If we listen to, or read from, or get inputs from the same sets of people, books or media channels then we will be limited.  We socialize with our type of people and we gravitate towards the same type of books. Therefore, subconsciously we reinforce our beliefs and opinions. We do this because it makes us feel right.  Like a politician we campaign only to only our base and lobby for their approval. Let's challenge our assumptions and step out of your comfort zone.  "Vulnerability is not weakness; it's our greatest measure of courage" - Brene Brown