Clint Murphy  00:10

Most of us want to be seen as an expert, or knowledge leader, you want to be seen at the top of your game, but that is the mindset that gets in your way. To achieve at the highest level, you need to act as if you’re at the lowest level. L

Clint Murphy  00:28

Let’s start by examining the story of the monk and the tea cup, a timeless parable that beautifully illustrates the essence of the beginner’s mindset. Once upon a time there was a wise zen master who was sought after by many people who wanted his counsel and wisdom. He rarely turn anyone away. One day, an important man came to visit him asking to be taught about Zen and enlightnement, the man’s tone confident and commanding , as if he was used to getting his own way. The Zen master suggested they talk about it over a cup of tea and he invited the man inside. As the master poured the tea the student kept talking and boasting about his knowledge, interrupting the master and not letting speak. The master kept pouring the tea and the cup overflowed spilling onto the table. The student exclaimed, What are you doing? The cup is full and the tea is spilling out. The master replied your mind is like this cup. It’s full of your own opinions and ideas. And if you want to learn about Zen, you must first empty your cup. The moral of the story to truly absorb new knowledge and wisdom. You need to approach learning with humility, openness, and a willingness to discard preconceived notions. 

Clint Murphy  01:58

So what exactly is the beginner’s mindset? And how can you cultivate it in your own life. At its core, the beginner’s mindset is about approaching every situation with fresh eyes, unencumbered by past experiences or assumptions. It’s about being open to learning, regardless of your level of expertise. 

Clint Murphy  02:19

Here are some practical steps you can take to embrace the beginner’s mindset. 

Clint Murphy  02:23

Be curious, and ask questions. Be open to new and novel ways of doing things without assuming you already know everything or there’s only one right way. Don’t be the carpenter with a hammer who thinks that every problem is a nail. When you’re curious and ask questions. You’re going to expand your knowledge, challenge your assumptions and discover new possibilities. 

Clint Murphy  02:49

Embrace uncertainty and ambiguity, you can’t control everything. Instead of fearing the unknown, see it as an opportunity for growth and exploration. Too many people are paralyzed or overwhelmed by fear of anxiety when facing uncertainty and ambiguity. 

Clint Murphy  03:06

Learn from your mistakes and failures. View setbacks as stepping stones on the path to success rather than as obstacles in your way. Don’t get discouraged or defensive when you make a mistake or fail at something. Instead, analyze what went wrong and what you can do better next time. Unsuccessful people are afraid to fail and won’t take action which leads to the worst possible failure. A failure with no purpose. Successful people redefine failure as feedback and they take continuous action. They recognize the more feedback they get, the more they’ll succeed in the fullness of time. 

Clint Murphy  03:52

Challenge your assumptions and beliefs. Stay open minded and be willing to consider alternative perspectives. Your beliefs and assumptions aren’t facts. They’re interpretations of reality that may be biased, incomplete or outdated. As John Maynard Keynes said, “When I find new information, I change my mind. What do you do?” That’s one of my favorite quotes of all time. Whenever you’re having an argument, and all of a sudden you change your mind, someone may say, Well, you’re a flip flopper. Well no, the other side convinced me that my opinion was wrong. So I was willing to change it.  Too few people are willing to change their opinion. They get bogged down in their opinions, beliefs, assumptions, but sometimes they haven’t done the work to hold those positions. 

This is a famous maxima of Charlie Munger. “If you want to hold an opinion, if you want to hold a position, do the work to hold the position. Know the argument of the other side of that position and strongly or stronger than people on that side because when you do that you can be more confident in the position that you’re holding.” 

Clint Murphy  05:08

Seek feedback and guidance from experts. Recognize there is always room for growth and don’t hesitate to seek help when needed. Follow the advice or instructions of experts or mentors who can teach you new skills or techniques. 

Clint Murphy  05:21

Seek out diverse perspectives and experiences. Surround yourself with people who challenge you and expose you to new ideas and cultures. Be open to new experiences and learning and avoid being stuck in your comfort zone or habitual routines and embrace change and uncertainty. 

Clint Murphy  05:39

Avoid comparing yourself to others or judging yourself harshly and celebrate your progress and achievements. Remember, as Albert Einstein famously said, “the more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know”. That my friends is one of the smartest people of all time and he’s saying how much he doesn’t know. How much do you and me not know? So remember, every single person you meet, every interaction you have, there’s something to learn from it. Above all, you need to enjoy the process and have fun along the way. 

Clint Murphy  06:19

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