1. Increased Knowledge

Consider the belief that "investing is risky." This idea halts your thought process and shapes your reality. Perhaps this belief stemmed from a personal experience or was influenced by a family member's cautionary tale. Over time, this idea solidified into your opinion, and opportunities to challenge it may have come and gone without impact. By remaining open to the possibility of being mistaken, you could have encountered alternative viewpoints. Engaging with literature or conversing with successful investors might have broadened your understanding of when investing is hazardous and when it is not.

Living with an unexamined belief confines you to one perspective. While some view investing as perilous and remain inactive, others may dive in, face setbacks, and conclude it’s futile. Assumptions can be proven wrong, but only if we treat them as absolute truths. By questioning them, you can continually learn.

2. Protection Against Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance arises when our beliefs clash with new, contradictory information. This can lead to a significant discomfort that impacts our mental health. For instance, feeling disheartened when an underperforming peer outshines you academically is a form of cognitive dissonance. Similarly, learning that your brand-new electric vehicle has a carbon footprint comparable to years of driving a traditional car can be unsettling.

Remaining open to the idea that you might be wrong acts as a buffer against this discomfort. The intensity of the discomfort can vary based on what belief is being challenged. A significant example involves Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis, who discovered that handwashing drastically reduced mortality rates in maternity wards. Many doctors rejected this revelation, not due to a lack of rationality, but because of the cognitive dissonance it created within their established beliefs.

3. Cultivating Curiosity

You may be completely certain about your partner's name. However, if you entertain the notion that you might be incorrect, it opens up a world of possibilities. Perhaps your partner initially provided a different name for a reason, or there are aspects of her past she wishes to keep private.

Similarly, you might believe that turning 30 inevitably leads to back pain, but this belief could stem from observing others around you. What if those individuals were not proactive about their health? By exposing yourself to a wider array of narratives, you could discover examples of individuals who remain pain-free through mindful habits. You’d learn that age does not automatically dictate physical decline.

Being open to the possibility of being wrong fosters a sense of curiosity, which in turn enriches your knowledge and enables you to navigate life with greater flexibility. As Einstein famously said, "I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious."