Being open-minded

Rajesh Bhola

All of us tend to always be "closedminded" more than being "openminded," especially when it comes to change that is new to us. It is our psychological way to protect us from the emotional pain of change.
People who are open-minded are willing to change their views when presented with new facts and evidence. Society as a whole has become more liberal, and circumstances that were not acceptable years ago are accepted now. Being openminded also helps us with problem solving. First it helps us look at more than one way to approach a problem; then we find more expansive ways of solving it. When we give ourselves more options, better solutions are undoubtedly available to us.
Current cultural norms tend to insulate and isolate all of us from contrary opinions, evidence and experience. We may be living in a cocoon of our own making. Though we may be sheltered and isolated, the threads of our cocoon will usually be imperceptible.

The open mind knows that its own thinking is almost always incomplete. An open mind takes pride in learning from others. It would rather listen than speak. The open mind has in-sight for evaluating the quality of its own thinking to see gaps that might be filled.

Being open-minded means you have a willingness to listen to other ideas and opinions and consider the possibility that you are wrong or may change your own perspective. This can be an important quality in the workplace.

Open-mindedness is one of the most sought-after employee traits. Being open-minded means you have a willingness to listen to other ideas and opinions and consider the possibility that you are wrong or may change your own perspective. This can be an important quality in the workplace. Openmindedness is critical to job success. Supervisors want to know that you have a willingness to learn new things and consider alternative approaches to problem-solving. In an interview, showing you are open-minded instills confidence in the employer that you are teachable and guidable.

Someone who projects a know-it-all attitude is often a turn off. Also, the employer wants to know that you have a cooperative attitude and listen well to others when they share their opinions. Being open-minded typically makes you more adaptable to your work environment. Employers usually want to hire someone they can mould into the type of employee who fits well in their organizational culture. Open-minded employees are usually better equipped to cope with jobs and coworkers.

There is much to be gained from opening the door to your mind and letting new ideas and beliefs come in. It can be very liberating to look at the world through an open mind. Opening up your mind to new ideas allows you to the opportunity to change what you think and how you view the world.

When you live with an open mind, you have a strong sense of self. You are not confined by your own beliefs, nor are you confined by the beliefs of others. For that reason, you are able to have and gain confidence as you learn more and more about the world around you.

Getting attached to opinions is another way of getting caught by the ego wind. If I am attached to an opinion, it inevitably gets in the way of clear perception, both of objective and subjective phenomena alike. We all know how dangerous views and opinions can be. People come to blows over them. The human animal is notable for its skill in communication, but also for its skill in dispute and hostility. We are aware of the inflammatory potential of clashes of opinion. But we are to learn tolerance. Wisdom is set within empathy. Open mindedness will teach us to avoid relativism, at one extreme, and dogmatism at the other.