What do you think?
Are you certain?
Why?
Having a devout opinion is a half cup of water. At times it is half full and others, half empty.
Your opinions can propel you into a future that no one else can see.
Sometimes that is most valuable. Other times, it is a prison you have set for yourself.
The problem with having an open mind is that others are always more than willing to fill it up for you. And sometimes that can be a real blessing.
Leonardo grew up in a world that denied him education because he was born out of wedlock. So his knowledge was self perpetuated with the help of his uncle.
In the course of forming his own opinions, he would walk through a canyon and find fossilized shells at different layers in the canyon wall. So he reasoned that the great deluge (the flood in the Bible) had to be wrong because how would these fossils have settled at such different heights?
He watched light and threw out the concept that vision was an emission from the eye and must instead, be particles that are entering through the eye. That idea was revolutionary.
He studied the heavens and concluded that the Earth was not the center of the universe.
But his ability to share any of these thoughts were blasphemous and would most certainly lead to his execution.
Growing up outside of the school system eliminated many of the preconceived notions from his mind. No doubt the children he played with would share ideas, and he was exposed to many over the course of his life.
But I believe that Leonardo starting with a different slate, set a life journey that may have taken this brilliant brain and helped it to formulate with a different set of parameters.
We are all quick to formulate our own opinions. I am most certainly high on that list of people with a preconceived mindset. Sometimes my own opinions are so strong as to make it near impossible for my perspective to change.
But I would be lying if I did not admit that there are times in a discussion with someone whose intellect and opinions that I respect, when I find myself being readily persuaded that perhaps my own opinion is wrong and that there is a much better perspective to take.
Most frequently, this happens with my team at The Illusion Factory. I can work into the wee hours of the night, jubilant that I have found the most amazing idea or concept. Then I present it to my team with pride and excitement and I usually get the response of “that’s interesting, let us play with it for a bit and we’ll regroup.” Inevitably that means… let us do what we do best and we will get back to you…. And when they do, the idea is much different and may only contain a tiny spark or glimmer of what I was so excited about. And the truth is… what they have turned it into, is much better!!! We most certainly would not be where we are now with Sizzle if we had followed all of my ideas. And that is a blessing!
Opinions are like a….holes…. Everyone has one. But that does not make them valid or concrete. So taking a moment to contemplate that no matter how in love with our opinions we become, we are still very well served to contemplate those of others. In that process, we continue to grow… and personal growth (in my opinion) is far more important than being right all the time.
If you like my posts, I would be so appreciative if you would share them with friends. The entire purpose of my doing this on a daily basis is to help improve my life and the lives of others around the world. Thank you!
