Episode #47 Change Your Mind

We tend to think highly of ourselves for holding on to an opinion indefinitely, but growth and maturity are marked by the ability to react to new information by changing our minds. This week, Dr. Michael Brown is joined by Russell Catania as they outline the key steps to shifting perspectives.

Show Notes

If 2020 has shown me one thing, it’s that we live in a world that changes.
Dr. Russell Catania

Three Problems

  • It is difficult to change our behaviors if we do not first change our minds.
  • We often hold tightly to false beliefs for years because we think doing so will somehow make us noble.
  • For those of us who are mature enough to regularly change our minds, it can be discouraging to spend time with those who never change their minds.

Three Principles

  • It is normal to think differently today than we did ten years ago, and it is often a good thing.
  • Changing our minds is not a sign of deterioration but of evolution.
  • The five steps to changing our minds are to demonstrate courage, to seek truth, to ask for help, to stay the course, and to reflect on our growth.

Three Practices

  • Acknowledge that the world is more complex and nuanced than you previously believed.
  • Pursue friendships with others who demonstrate a willingness to change their minds.
  • Reflect on the ways that you have changed over the past year in order to motivate continued change.