The world is brimming with diverse perspectives and complex challenges. People will argue and even die for their beliefs. Families split apart. War is waged. Disputes turn into disasters. Any sane person knows that there has to be a better way.
The thing is how we hold and adapt our beliefs can significantly influence our success in life, in business in friendship and in all our relationships.
Strong Opinions, Lightly Held
I like the concept of having strong opinions that are lightly held. It means that we should look to form well-considered beliefs while remaining open to new information and perspectives.
Holding strong opinions lightly means that you should base your beliefs on thorough research and clear reasoning. This doesn’t mean your opinions are weak or unimportant. Instead, it means you have the intellectual humility to accept that you might be wrong and the willingness to change your mind when presented with new evidence or compelling arguments.
This flexibility allows for more agile decision-making and adaptation in both personal and professional contexts. It fosters a learning mindset, where you are constantly evolving and improving based on new information and experiences. It also encourages collaboration, as open-minded individuals are more likely to engage in meaningful dialogues that lead to innovative solutions.
The alternative is to have weak opinions strongly held. You see people willing to die on hills they know nothing about. When you can demonstrate that something they are saying is wrong they still wont let go of an idea. To me, that seems crazy. But in the modern world that is what we are taught we should have strong opinions of just about anything, even when we don’t know a thing about it.
Valuing People Despite Disagreements
The thing is in our increasingly polarized world, it’s easy to dismiss individuals who hold different views. However, rejecting people based on a few disagreements can lead to missed opportunities for meaningful connections and collaborative solutions. It is crucial to focus on commonalities and shared goals rather than fixating on differences.
Recognizing that disagreements on a few ideas do not define a person’s entire value or potential contributions is a key lesson in building inclusive relationships. This mindset fosters a more supportive and inclusive environment, where diverse perspectives are valued and respected.
Dave Chappelle has a quote where he says “I don’t throw away a friend just because we disagree on 4 things”. I think this is wise. We all should seek to understand the person’s perspective to acknowledge it even if we don’t agree with it. Humans are not one size fits all. So it is with our opinions.
If you take this approach it not only enhances your relationships but also fosters a culture of collaboration. It allows you to leverage the collective wisdom of diverse perspectives, leading to more innovative and effective solutions. Mostly it makes you a more reasonable person.
If you can hold two strongly opposing views in the palms of your hand and not be attached to either you will be on the right track.
Remember: Action on insights, is the Answer.
Thank you for reading.
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