The mindset a successful entrepreneur possesses: radical open-mindedness

One of the most inspiring books I ever read was Principles by Ray Dalio. In it, he shares his insights that he believes are the foundation for success. The life lesson that stuck with me the most is about what Dalio calls radical open-mindedness . He himself calls it the most important chapter in his book. Radical open-mindedness is about accepting that we do not know everything, that we are not always right and that we can open ourselves without prejudice to the views of others. As human beings, but also as entrepreneurs.

The goal of radical open-mindedness? To see the world as it really is, breaking free of your subjective frame through which you perceive your environment. This enables you to make better decisions, reach your full potential and achieve your goals faster.

Note, radical open-mindedness goes far beyond once listening to others or applying their suggestions. These are things that every good entrepreneur does on a regular basis. As long as their answers do not clash with how we see the world (our mental framework , as it were), we are not forced out of our comfort zone.

The real challenge is being able to deal with opinions, ideas, that firmly challenge our mental framework. That have an impact on a world unknown to our mental framework. Just then it is crucial to be able to accept that what we see as truth may not be true. It is then that we must have a mindset that recognizes that what we believe so hard in may not be true. We must not only look at the world with a curious eye, we must see reality through the eyes of another. We want to understand what is going on outside our framework.

So we should doubt our beliefs - AND allow others to do the same. As if we were always asking them to prove us wrong. An uncomfortable position, even Dalio realizes. Yet necessary to understand where our weaknesses lie.

Without that radical open-mindedness, we remain trapped on the spot - as if you would willingly remain blind to the world around you. But it's not easy to start applying this mindset. I'll give you three tips for getting started with radical open-mindedness.

1 Bypass your ego

It is difficult to accept that we are wrong and have weaknesses. Our most primitive brain blocks us in this, because it sees criticism as an attack. Our first reaction is often to defend ourselves, leaving little room to think objectively. Because it's such a natural reflex, we can't just leave it behind. What we can do then as a first step is to become aware of this reflex.

Practice showing genuine interest in the opinions of others. How did they arrive at those thoughts? Meanwhile, don't be tempted by your ego, which will gladly whisper to you that we must know much better. We become arrogant because our idea is right, right? However, we don't know what the thought process is behind the other idea. And at that point, gathering the information behind that process is more important than being right. Often entrepreneurs make poor decisions because they are so convinced they are right that they don't consider alternative, perhaps more interesting options.

2 The right conversation, the right people

Some people try to be open-minded, but (unconsciously or not) have already made a decision. So they go looking for people and information that support that decision. Not the right attitude to engage in radical open-mindedness. Of course, this cherry picking behavior does not help the entrepreneurs in question either: they remain convinced of their original decision. So: listen first, collect data and only then make the decision.

Of course, you can't apply this radical open-mindedness everywhere. Choose a discussion partner who can teach you something about the topic and is himself open to listening without prejudice. That way you avoid getting bogged down in an endless argument instead of a useful discussion. People who like to be right or always have an answer ready are not the ideal conversation partner in that case. An equally open-minded person does just the opposite: they are genuinely interested, ask thoughtful questions and dare to admit that they don't know either.

3 Don't forget your ultimate goal

Do you want to be someone who is always right? Or do you want to be someone whose company makes a difference? We like to show that we are right even when we are not sure. Why? We are convinced that true leaders know everything and have no weaknesses. However, in reality, this is absolutely not true. Entrepreneurs who know they are not perfect and dare to have that radical open mind can take their business to the next level. Just because they feel they don't have all the truth - no one does. By exploring different points of view, they find the best path for them as an entrepreneur. In the long run, that's all that matters.

Applying this radical open-mindedness yourself? At Rubicon we guide entrepreneurs towards this mindset, and put you in contact with other founders who will have an open conversation with you. Book a free sounding board session here.