Book 2 Post 1
During my trip to Mexico City over Spring break, I read a book called "Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know" by Adam Grant. I chose this book for a couple of reasons. First, I had bought it back in London as part of a collection of books I was supposed to read in college, but it just ended up collecting dust on my dorm desk. Second, I was intrigued by the fact that the author, Adam Grant, has been rated the top professor at Wharton for seven years in a row. I was curious to see what he had to offer.
Almost every night, when I settled in my comfy hotel bed in Mexico (my feet sore from all the exploring I had done), I found pleasure reading this book. It felt satisfying to me because the author's concepts were presented in an understandable manner, accompanied by real world examples and diagrams. I had many "Ohhhh" moments while reading this book which made the read even more intriguing. Grant's writing style is super approachable, and he ensures that his points sticks. One of the key concepts he introduces is "cognitive entrenchment," which he illustrates with the example of Blackberry being so stuck on their physical button keyboards that they missed the boat on touchscreens. It's got me thinking about all the ways I might be trapped in my own thinking. Additionally, his examples cover a wide range of fields, from business, to medicine, and even sports. The book's big on this idea of "thinking like a scientist," which basically means being open to changing your mind when new evidence comes along. Grant argues that intelligence is about thinking and learning, while wisdom is about rethinking and unlearning. This perspective has been particularly eye-opening for me.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. This book has the potential to dramatically improve your cognitive abilities. I think it really helps you unlearn old beliefs that you may have thought were completely accurate at the time and now turn out to be dead wrong. Grant's got this great section on the "joy of being wrong" that's surprisingly motivating, and the 30 practical tips at the end for improving your rethinking skills are super helpful. One of my favorite parts is where he reframes impostor syndrome as a positive, arguing that if someone feels like an impostor, they work harder to get to the right answer. Fair warning though – it can get a bit repetitive at times. But overall, if you're looking to shake up your thinking and maybe get a little more comfortable with uncertainty, "Think Again" is definitely worth a read. Just be prepared to have some of your own beliefs challenged.
Hi Anish, nice post! I feel like this was a good read, especially because it freed up some space on your nightstand. The element I resonated the most with in your post is the imposter syndrome. It is so true that when you don't feel like you deserve something, you will work twice as hard to prove everyone wrong.
ReplyDeleteHi Anish, I really loved reading your review on Think Again. This makes me actually want to pick up the book and read it! I liked that you described almost every element of the book, like how the author was an engaging writer and also how the content was eye opening and can help with seeing things in a new perspective without trapping our own thoughts because we have an old idea that gets in the way. Nice message!
ReplyDeleteHello Anish, I also read "Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know" by Adam Grant in my previous book review. I also enjoyed Grant's insights on how to think more scientifically so that we aren't blocked by pre-existing knowledge that could be incorrect. Generally, I agree with your analysis of "Think Again" and thought that you summarized it excellently.
ReplyDeleteHey Anish, thanks for sharing. I found this particularly intersting because I'm in a class that is all about mastering decision making and how we need to approach certain situations using different mental frameworks. So hearing about the cognitive entrenchment was intriguing and hopefully knowing about it will help you in the future!
ReplyDeleteHi Anish! I really love the main idea about this book. I believe it is absolutely vital to have an open mind when it comes to learning and even more important when it comes to debating/having a conversation with someone with an opposing opinion than yourself. I think a lot of people today do not know how to argue anymore as they don't want to hear things they disagree with. This makes me sad becasue Ithink it is inhibiting people from exposing themselves to the truth. Anyways, I'm really happy you were finally able to dust off this book and read it. I'd love to read it as well. I often find myself getting so stuck on one thing that I forget about the big picture. Great review!!
ReplyDeleteHi Anish, thank you for sharing your thoughts on the book. Your trip to Mexico sounded like it was really fun. I agree and I think it is really important to evaluate how we are trapped by our own thinking.
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