I just finished “Think Again” by Adam Grant. This book presents a case for why it’s helpful to be a lifelong learner vs. someone who is ‘set in their ways’ or a ‘know-it-all.’

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You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it think.

Adam Grant

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In this book, Adam Grant says that people can fall into in four different camps:

1. Preacher: I often act on faith alone in my quest for the truth.
2. Prosecutor: I seek to win using evidence, often by attacking the other side and dismissing their evidence.
3. Politician: I seek to win using my belief system, often by attacking the other side.

However, the best way to approach life would be the:

4. Scientist: I rely on evidence with the goal of finding the truth. I am happy to change my belief (hypothesis) when confronted with evidence.

The Scientist mindset can be summed up with one simple phrase: “I might be wrong.”

I thought the illustration he used in the book was funny:

After finishing the book, I paused to consider times in my life where I’ve had to “Think Again.” There are many – marriage and parenting give me plenty of times to ‘re-think’ what I’m doing. In fact, a successful relationship requires regular rethinking. For example: Learning not to be late or being open to moving and planting roots in a new community. 

However…

The first and biggest time I had to “THINK AGAIN” was after meeting this handsome guy named Ted Egly.

I liked Ted immediately … but he was not for me. I thought Ted was amazing. I thought he would make a perfect boyfriend/husband … for someone else.

Why? Because I had a “list.”

In college I made a list of what was required of the person I date and marry. Did you have a list like that?

On that list were two things that disqualified Ted. My list said that a person I was going to date/marry MUST:

• Be OLDER than me

and

• have more education than me.

Ted is two years younger and hadn’t finished college yet, so I could not date him. Instead, I tried to fix him up with my younger sister.

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“He’s like a brother to me. I can’t date him,” she said.

“You are CRAZY!” I responded, “He’s PERFECT!”

“Then you date him.” She answered flatly, turned around, and walked away.

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This was it. This was the time I had to re-think that ‘must have’ list.

I had other things on my ‘must’ list. Ted passed every one.

• Was he a man of faith? Yes.
• Was he a man of integrity? Yes.
• Was he kind? Yes.
• Was he a leader among his peers? Yes.
• Did he have good relationships with his family members? Yes.
• Was he hard-working? Yes.
• Was he smart? Yes.
• Was he funny? Yes!

However:

• Was he older than me? No.
• Was he more educated than me? (No, not yet)

Were those last two things deal-breakers, or could I re-think my list?

Thankfully, I decided to THINK AGAIN…and the rest is history!

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PS – If you talk to Ted, ask him how he also had to THINK AGAIN about dating me.

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Can you think of a situation in your life that you’ve had to ‘THINK AGAIN?’ Has there been a time you were sure about something, and then as you grew, asked questions, did your own research, changed your mind?

Think Again is full of stories of people who chose to “Think Again” and others who do not, and how it affected who and where they are today.

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