The Idea: It’s still unknown who coined the phrase, “You cannot reason someone out of something he or she was not reasoned into,” but its absolute authority on how we develop our views should go unquestioned.  We are, at times, completely illogical creatures. We fail to see truths when we allow predispositions and biases to affect our viewpoint. And while it may be very difficult to reason someone out of their viewpoint, it is possible to refine your own reasoning by asking one question: Could I be wrong?

“Your conscious mind is basically an overconfident storyteller.  You are on unconscious auto pilot most of the day” says Tim Wilson, prof of psychology at the University of Virginia.  And you are not seeing yourself accurately.  

Philosopher Will Durant once said, “Certainty is murderous.”  Indeed, as a people our collective confidence that we are absolutely right has grown to dangerous proportions. We miss the truths of a situation so often, and, when we do, we rarely self-correct.  

Could I be wrong?

When one asks one’s self if there is a possibility of being wrong, he or she becomes vulnerable and open to truth without fear of retribution.  We should practice uncertainty more often!

In a recent INC. article “How to Create an Environment That Fosters Truth Telling,” Jim Haudan states, “We don’t perform at our full potential; we perform at our belief level. And in the face of change, fear and anxiety often control our beliefs.”

Haudan reminds us that “The antidote to this epidemic of truthlessness is finding a way to safely have critical conversations, thereby creating an environment where people can be vulnerable, and explore the truths with which we are creatively dissatisfied.”

Our brains hack through life, looking for previous patterns or short cuts speeding up our decision-making process.  And this occurs on a subconscious level making us vulnerable to being wrong.  You are not alone.   Let me remind you of these two notable examples:

  •  In 1962, The Beatles were flat out rejected by executives of Decca Records.  There words seem laughable today “We don’t like their music, and guitar is on the way out.”
  •  Remember the words of H.M. Warner of Warner Brothers fame back in 1927 “Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?”    

Both executive teams were prisoners of their past achievements.  Success is never your friend.

Have you closed the door on new ideas, or have previous failures and familiarity created a scotoma hindering your field of vision?  

Next time you are confident about a big decision, ask yourself: “Could I be wrong?”