Comfort Makes You Stupid
Skillful fools dig their own graves.
“I finally decided I was going to give the best hour of the day to improving my own mind.” Charlie Munger
Don’t pound your chest because of what you do. Brag about what you’re learning.
4 Ways to Not be Stupid
#1. Stepping into discomfort.
Comfort makes you stupid.
Try something new.
Don’t fear looking stupid. Prepare enough to begin.
Tip: Find someone who will support your journey, not accuse.
- Explain your intent.
- Seek feedback.
#2. Ask questions.
The questions you ask predict your future.
- Calm your spirit when listening. You can’t listen when you’re in a rush.
- Honor people who say something you don’t like.
- Ask awkward or obvious questions.
- Explore why something might be right, before explaining why it’s wrong.
- Be a novice, even if you think you’re an expert.
#3. Reflect on your journey.
- Ask, “What am I learning?”
- Keep a journal. The best thing I do for myself is write every day.
- Explore your journey with a coach or mentor. An audience aids reflection.
#4. Avoid the arrogance trap.
Don’t be so damn smart. The dumbest thing I did was think I knew when I didn’t.
Stop criticizing advice before testing it.
If you’re older, learn from younger. If you’re younger, open yourself to elders.
Learning precedes achievement. Be stupid enough to improve your mind.
Which mind improving strategy could you employ today?
10 Stupid Things Smart Leaders Do
This is an excellent post – thank you for sharing. This was hard to pick just one line, but I settled on this one: “Don’t be so damn smart. The dumbest thing I did was think I knew when I didn’t.” There are lots of times I am going on instinct rather than facts but I am convincing myself that I am standing on facts…and often times my initial thoughts and ideas turn out to be wrong.
Ha! Love this, Dan. Like Travis, it was difficult to pick just one line. “Don’t be so damn smart. The dumbest thing I did was think I knew when I didn’t.” This was a Ooh Baby! moment for me.