Curiosity and the Beginner Mindset
The surest way to prevent yourself from learning a topic is to believe you already know it.
— James Clear (@JamesClear) July 20, 2019
I saw this tweet by James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, and it made me think about the things that keep us from growing. The more we think we know, the less we think we have to learn. The issue with this is that learning is presented as something that can be finished.
This probably stems from our mental model of learning that was established through elementary school. Learning was presented to us in stages that could be measured on a linear timeline. As we grow older we set knowledge as something to be obtained through time. (Time is often represented by years of experience.)
I wonder what would happen if experts hit the reset button and adopted a beginner mindset. Perhaps redefining learning as something that is infinite would unlock our unlimited potential to learn and grow.