Be radically open-minded.

This one is probably the most important principle. There is only one big choice to make in life:

• Are you willing to fight to find out what’s true?
• Do you deeply believe that finding out what’s true is essential to your well-being?
• Do you have a need to find out if you or others are doing something wrong that is standing in the way of achieving your goals?

1. Recognize your two barriers.

   1. Understand your ego barrier.
      Ego is a defense mechanism that makes it hard for you to accept your mistakes and weaknesses. It’s like a separate brain. It works beside your conscious mind.
   2. Your logic/conscious mind fights with your emotional/subconscious one.
      You can observe it. Try it. When you figure it out, try to observe it in other people.
   3. Understand your second barrier: blind spots.
      There are people who can see only the big picture and those who can see only details. Each of us has blind spots, areas that we don’t know we are not good with.

2. Practice radical open-mindedness.

   1. Sincerely believe that you might not know the best possible path and recognize that your ability to deal well with not knowing is more important than whatever it is you do know.
      Come up with right answers, but also ask other smart people what they think.
   2. In order to make decisions, you must gather all the relevant information first.
      People tend to make decisions based on incomplete information.
   3. Don’t worry about looking good; worry about achieving your goal.
      People who want to make the best possible decision rarely think they have the best answer. Instead, they are aware of their blind spots, and they seek to learn more.
   4. Realize that you can’t put out without taking in.
      Most people want to put out (convey their thinking and be productive) rather than to take in (learn).
   5. Realize that only by empathizing can you properly evaluate another point of view.
      If you want to be radically open-minded, you must be so open to the possibility that you could be wrong that you encourage others to tell you so.

3. Appreciate the art of thoughtful disagreement.
   Learn how to argue in a thoughtful way. Seek to understand the other person. Ask questions instead of making statements.

4. Triangulate your view with believable people who are willing to disagree.
   Find a few experts in the areas that you need more knowledge in, and listen to their answers. For the most important questions, always ask a few experts. Confront their opinions with each other. This will give you the best possible answer.

5. Learn how to differentiate open-minded people from close-minded ones.
   Once you understand the difference, you will be much more likely to spend time only with open-minded people.

6. Become radically open-minded

   1. Make being open-minded a habit.
      Use feelings of anger/frustration as cues to calm down, slow down, and to approach the subject in a thoughtful way.
   2. Get to know your blind spots.
      In all areas that cause you to make bad decisions, ask others why it is so. This will help you discover your blind spots.
   3. When believable people say you’re doing something wrong, they are probably right.
      Assume that you are probably biased.
   4. Meditate.
      Try starting with transcendental meditation. It enhances open-mindedness, a higher-level perspective, equanimity, and creativity.
   5. Be evidence-based and encourage others to be the same.
      Usually, it’s the subconscious mind that makes conclusions for us, filtering the evidence to make it consistent with our desires.
   6. Do everything in your power to help others also be open-minded.
      Be reasonable and expect others to be reasonable.