The more open-minded you allow yourself to be, the more information you will be able to absorb from the people and things around you. You can be open-minded by trying new things and considering alternative perspectives, or you can discard new and different things and stay the same; it is your choice, but this choice determines how much you will grow.

Be Open to Open-Mindedness

Open-mindedness is simply being open to possibilities. This happens most often when you are trying something new and less often when you have been doing the same things over and over again for many years.

The World is Round Example

Open-mindedness allowed our ancestors to see the world differently despite thinking the world was flat for years. Innovators of their time encouraged people to notice the differences that were occurring as ships were coming over the horizon. The initial adopters of this philosophy were open to see the same thing in a different light. This open-mindedness led the rest of civilization to open their minds to something new and different.In this case, it was a face we all now know to be true: the world is round(ish).

Anytime you try something new for the first time, it’s easier to be open-minded, simply because you have no frame of reference as to how it’s supposed to be. On the other hand, if you have been doing something the same way over and over again for years and there is a consistent formula that works, you are less likely to be open-minded. At that point, you discovered the way it’s supposed to be done. Your level of open-minded comes into play when you decide it needs to adjust or someone else comes in and offers you a different perspective.

Say Yes! to Open-mindedness

A great example comes from the movie Yes Man starring Jim Carrey. He was stuck in his job and went through the same motions each day. When his character was liberated in a mind-opening seminar, he experimented by saying “Yes!” to everything and his life completely changed. Many wonderful things started to happen as a result of him opening his mind to new opportunities, like getting a promotion at work. Saying “YES” gave him a different point of view in his job and seeing a different point of view led to more success in work.

Start Soon

Start by acknowledging that there is always another way or perspective to see things. You know you are being narrow-minded when you become defensive or argumentative; this is a good time to relax, let go, and just listen to another point of view. Even when you think you have a process down, there might be another way. There is a TED talk by Terry Moore that gives a two-minute demonstration showing how most people tie their shoes the wrong way. Sometimes, life is conditioned to doing things the same way without listening to see if a better way exists.

Start Now

Being open-minded isn’t just something you can turn off and on. It’s something you need to work at and be cognizant of. Learn other simple strategies Mark shares in 35+ publications (including GoDaddy, Score, Conscious Capitalism Arizona, American Marketing Association Phoenix, Calendly, etc.) Visit Mark In The Media by clicking here.

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