A confession, I like people and ideas that confirm what I already believe better than people who I disagree with. Some who know me are laughing or scratching their heads because as a contrarian I set out to be disagreeable on purpose with a purpose. Even when I don’t jump into the discussion I am often quietly judging people based not on the veracity of their statement but on how closely it aligns with my opinion. Where I learn something new is when I am able to enter the discussion after intentionally suspending judgement and quieting my biases. This isn’t easy and takes persistence but pays off when I have the courage to do it. If you are ready to learn something new, be challenged, break a barrier, enrich a relationship – take a breath, clear your mind, still your body and tell yourself that you are safe. Fear is most often what drives us to hold tight to what we believe (even when it isn’t helpful or valid anymore). If you are safe to listen with ears that hear, unclogged by the desperate need to convince you may find a new perspective worth adding to your position. The yes, and approach to discussion adds to the discussion rather than halting the generation. I still revert to being single minded but am getting better and have discovered that if I am receptive others tend to be too. Make Today Remarkable, by suspending judgement, B
My Raging Confirmation Bias
Make It Your Problem 