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012 Adam Grant: Think Again

Challenge your beliefs to improve decision-making and open your mind to new possibilities.

Duration: 06 hours
40 minutes
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Adam Grant: Think Again

Summary

In Think Again, Adam Grant explores the concept of rethinking and the power it can have in improving decision-making and changing minds. Drawing on psychological research and real-world examples, Grant argues that we should be willing to challenge our own assumptions and beliefs, and to embrace the discomfort that comes with doing so. By doing this, we can become more adaptable, creative, and successful in our personal and professional lives.

About

Title: Think Again

Author: Adam Grant

Publishing year: 2021

Publisher: Viking

Length in hours: 6 hours and 40 minutes

5 main ideas

  1. The importance of rethinking: To be successful and grow as individuals, we need to be willing to question our beliefs and assumptions and reconsider them in light of new information.
  2. The benefits of cognitive flexibility: Developing the ability to change our minds and be open to new ideas can help us become more creative, adaptable, and successful.
  3. The dangers of overconfidence: Holding on too tightly to our beliefs can blind us to our own limitations and the perspectives of others.
  4. The power of constructive disagreement: By engaging in respectful and constructive disagreement, we can challenge our own beliefs and learn from others.
  5. Strategies for rethinking: Grant provides practical strategies for practicing rethinking, including seeking out different perspectives, embracing discomfort, and challenging our own assumptions.
Adam Grant: Think Again

5 funny quotes

  1. "I've never been the smartest person in the room, but I've always been the most enthusiastic."
  2. "Sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to make it bigger and more complicated."
  3. "I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific."
  4. "I'm not arguing, I'm just passionately expressing my point of view while being completely closed to any other perspectives."
  5. "I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm pretty sure it has a drinking problem."

5 thought-provoking quotes​

  1. "Argue like you're right and listen like you're wrong."
  2. "To be a good critical thinker, you need to be a good listener. You need to be willing to update your beliefs based on what you hear from other people."
  3. "The hallmark of successful people is that they are always stretching themselves to learn new things."
  4. "The greatest danger to human progress is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge."
  5. "The solution to imposter syndrome is not to tell yourself that you're good enough. It's to remind yourself that you're still growing and to focus on what you have left to learn."

5 dilemmas

  1. How do we balance the need to be open-minded and receptive to new ideas with the need to maintain our core beliefs and values?
  2. How do we determine which sources of information are trustworthy and which are not, especially in an age of information overload and "fake news"?
  3. How do we navigate disagreements with others, especially when we have strong emotional attachments to our own ideas and beliefs?
  4. How do we avoid falling into the trap of "groupthink" and maintain our independence of thought and action?
  5. How do we balance the need for humility and recognition of our own fallibility with the need to assert our own expertise and experience?

5 examples

  1. Malcolm Gladwell initially supported the idea that vaccines cause autism but later changed his mind when presented with scientific evidence to the contrary.
  2. Lin-Manuel Miranda was able to create the hit musical Hamilton by thinking outside the box and challenging traditional Broadway conventions.
  3. Carol Dweck has studied the difference between a fixed mindset (believing that your abilities are set in stone) and a growth mindset (believing that your abilities can be developed through hard work and dedication).
  4. David Chang has achieved success by constantly challenging himself to learn new things and adapt to changing circumstances.
  5. J.K. Rowling was initially rejected by numerous publishers before finding success with the Harry Potter series, and how she persisted by thinking creatively and refusing to give up on her vision.

Referenced books

  1. "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" by Carol S. Dweck
  2. "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert B. Cialdini
  3. "The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses" by Eric Ries
  4. "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" by Thomas S. Kuhn
  5. "Invisible Gorilla: How Our Intuitions Deceive Us" by Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons

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"Argue like you're right and listen like you're wrong."

Adam Grant: Think Again

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