The Beginner’s Mind – So Hard to Keep

I’ve been a fan of @gapingvoid for years. Love this drawing for today.

As you develop any sort of knowledge, it’s hard to keep a fresh look at an old topic.

I find this especially hard when it comes to writing sometimes.

It’s easy to become jaded and think, “ugggg, people should already KNOW this stuff, damn, it’s common knowledge.”

But many technical topics aren’t common knowledge, or new people enter into new responsibilities and need to learn the basics — of document management, or inbound, or whatever.

I’m not sure I agree with the baggage concept here, but the idea of a fresh look and a “through the eyes of babes” (children babes, not hot chicks babes) is one we should cultivate as we continue our own professional journeys and as a reminder not to get aggravated or roll eyes when someone asks a “basic” question or has a nutty idea.

I know that this is something I struggle with, that, when I get out of my own way and use what I know to inform an insight instead of blocking an idea or insight that good things happen.

Beginner’s mindset is also good for reevaluating those, “but that won’t work” or “we’ve done that before” statements we too often fall back on as an excuse not to reevaluate an old opinion in light of new experience or evidence.

Keep an open mind and new ideas can keep walking in, or something.

Or, don’t let the bastards beat you down — especially if the “bastards” is your own cynicism.