Thoughts can be prison bars holding us back or propellers thrusting us forward.
“Think Again” by Adam Grant challenges us to re-evaluate how we approach challenges and avoid repeating unproductive cycles. With a wealth of entertaining real-life stories and data from vetted studies, Grant discusses how to achieve breakthroughs.
I started the nonfiction feeling stuck, but as I dog-eared and underlined many quotes, hope arose that I can change my outlook, and in doing so, alter outcomes.
Here are insights the organizational psychologist shares:
“Every time you encounter new information, you have a choice. You can attach your opinions to your identity and stand your ground in stubbornness of preaching or prosecuting. Or you can operate more like a scientist, defining yourself as a person committed to the pursuit of truth—even if it means proving yourself wrong.” (p. 76)
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“The clearest sign of intellectual chemistry isn’t agreeing with someone. It’s enjoying your disagreements with them. Harmony is the pleasing arrangement of different tones, voices, or instruments, not the combination of identical sounds. Creative tension makes beautiful music.” (p. 81)
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“Rethinking depends on a different kind of network: a challenge network, a group of people we trust to point out our blind spots and help us overcome our weaknesses. Their role is to push us to be humble about our expertise, doubt our knowledge, and be curious about new perspectives.” (p.83).
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“Listening is a way of offering others our scarcest, most precious gift: our attention.” (p. 159)
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“When we dedicate ourselves to a plan and it isn’t going as we hoped, our first instinct isn’t usually to rethink it. Instead, we tend to double down and sink more resources in the plan. This pattern is called escalation of commitment. Evidence shows that entrepreneurs persist with failing strategies when they should pivot…” (p. 229)
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Anyone desiring healthy growth will benefit from reading this book published in December 2023. Filled with interesting and often humorous graphics, the book offers a refreshing and respectful way forward.
Amazon link for the book:
