How to Think for Yourself
19 hours ago
- Independent-mindedness is essential in fields like science, investing, startups, and essay writing, where novelty and correctness are both required.
- Most jobs (e.g., administration) only require being correct, not novel; choosing the wrong type of work based on your innate mindset can lead to unhappiness.
- People often misjudge their own independence; schools don't measure it, and conventional-minded people may overestimate their originality.
- You can enhance independent-mindedness by avoiding awareness of conventional beliefs, surrounding yourself with independent thinkers, reading history, and cultivating skepticism.
- Independent-mindedness consists of three components: fastidiousness about truth, resistance to being told what to think, and curiosity, which can compensate for each other.
- Curiosity can be cultivated by indulging it and seeking topics that engage you; the motto should be 'do what you're curious about.'