Are you willing to adjust your thinking in the face of evidence?

Embracing Growth: Why Being Willing to Change Matters

If you’re in the UK hope you’re enjoying the bank holiday and my friends overseas, enjoying your weekend.

When you’ve got nowhere to hide, your plan isn’t working how you’ve seemed to and your Quarter or Year isn’t going exactly how you planned are you willing to change in the face of evidence? We all have our own biases, opinions, and beliefs that are shaped by what we hold to be true and what we’ve been through but it's essential to be open-minded and adaptable when new information comes to light especially when you’re trying to drive significant change.

I’ve pivoted hobbies and businesses based on what customers tell me and I’ve been able to have strong opinions that are loosely held. I think what makes it difficult for most of us is that it takes humility and resilience to admit you were wrong but not get knocked off track.

The amazing thing is that every time I’ve done that focusing on what customers tell me whether it be small tweaks, objections, or sharing what they are thinking I’ve had more insight into the mindset of similar people, the market, or customers.

When we cling to outdated or incorrect ideas, we limit our potential for growth and progress. On the other hand, when we're willing to revise our thinking based on new evidence, we can unlock new opportunities and achieve better outcomes.

Here are a few key points to consider when it comes to being willing to change in the face of evidence:

1. Embrace a growth mindset. The first step to being open to change is to cultivate a growth mindset. This means seeing challenges as opportunities to learn and grow, rather than as obstacles to be avoided. When you approach life with a growth mindset, you're more willing to embrace new ideas and take risks.

2. Be willing to admit when you're wrong. It's not always easy to admit when you've made a mistake or when your thinking has been flawed. However, being willing to acknowledge your errors is essential to growth and improvement. When you admit your mistakes, you create space for learning and growth.

3. Seek out diverse perspectives. One of the best ways to challenge your own assumptions and biases is to seek out diverse perspectives. This means listening to people with different backgrounds, experiences, and worldviews than your own. When you expose yourself to new ideas and viewpoints, you expand your thinking and become more open to change.

4. Focus on evidence-based thinking. When making decisions or forming opinions, it's important to base your thinking on evidence rather than emotion or intuition. This means being willing to look critically at data and research, even if it challenges your preconceptions.

5. Stay humble. Finally, being willing to change in the face of evidence requires a certain level of humility. You have to be willing to acknowledge that you don't know everything and that you may be wrong about some things. When you approach life with a sense of humility, you're more open to learning and growth.

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Photo Credit: @malik.roberts.art

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