“Blind belief in authority is the greatest enemy of truth.” – Albert Einstein
Few abilities hold as much power as the ability to question authority.
Example:
In high school, I met with a world-renown hip surgeon.
Everyone told me he was the guy to repair my torn hip capsule; that there was nobody better in this corner of the world.
So on the day of our initial consultation, I walked into his office with high hopes.
We shake hands, I sit down, and he asks me:
“Where do you feel the pain?”
I reply:
“Actually, I don’t feel much pain in my hip. But it’s really messed up my back.”
He makes a face like someone let off a stink bomb in his office.
“I’ll tell you this right upfront. Your hip has nothing to do with your back. If I repair your hip, don’t expect your back to get any better.”
I don’t remember what I said next, but I had enough sense not to argue with him.
I also had enough sense to realize he had no idea what he was talking about.
I’d been studying sports science for years, and didn’t need an expert to tell me my hip and back were directly related.
(heck, we learned that in kindergarten… “your hip bone’s connected to your — back-bone…”)
I also knew that surgeons are specialists:
And just because they study a tiny sub-section of the body doesn’t mean they understand the rest of the body.
So I went ahead with the surgery, and within eight weeks my back pain completely disappeared.
But more importantly, I learned one of the most important lessons of my life:
Never blindly trust an expert just because they’re an expert.
Elon built reusable rockets after the space industry said it was impossible.
Einstein rejected decades of foundational physics to create his theory of relativity.
Countless investors told Bezos that Amazon would never work.
Even the Buddha stopped following all pre-existing paths to enlightenment, sat down under the Bodhi tree, and figured it out for himself.
Point being:
Innovation depends on those who think for themselves.
And, like I told the guys on retreat last week:
If you’re not thinking for yourself, you’re not actually thinking.
You’re just adopting the thoughts of others.
Not long ago we believed the earth was flat, lightning was punishment from the Gods, and that cigarettes were healthy.
We currently know less about the deep ocean than we do about outer space.
And we know less about our own brain than we do about the deep ocean.
One hundred years from now, today’s “experts” will look like silly, superstitious simpletons.
So question them.
Your development depends on it.
- T
P.S. Two important notes before we wrap.
First, “questioning” doesn’t mean criticizing or rejecting.
It means thinking for yourself before either agreeing or coming up with your own answer.
(in other words, it’s not a negative force — it’s a positive force that generates an evolution of thought)
Second:
This is a tricky topic to write about, because there’s a lot to say.
And school never taught us the exact opposite of how to think for ourselves.
(ie. be quiet, listen up, and memorize everything your teacher says)
So last week’s session on Intelligence was the most explosive teaching I’ve ever done.
As crazy as this sounds, one participant said he actually felt his head expanding.
Wild stuff.
Anyway, it will be included in our 2023 retreat recordings, dropping in a few weeks.
If you’re interested, hit reply to let us know.