behaviour
Shed Identity To See Clearly
The rule
When a view becomes part of who you are, you defend it long after the facts change. Hold your views loosely, and you can see clearly.
Where it flips
Holding views 'loosely' can decay into having no belief at all, changing with every headline. The fix: change your mind for new facts, not new moods. Loose grip on your pride, firm grip on the evidence.
When a belief becomes part of who you are, changing your mind feels like losing yourself. So you defend it long after the facts have turned. The clearest thinkers travel light. They can drop yesterday's view the moment the evidence changes. In investing this is priceless. It is the power to sell a share you once loudly praised, without shame, because the business has changed. The less your pride is tied to being right, the faster you can be right now.
A worked example
Rohan told everyone a certain bank was his 'best idea'. When its bad loans quietly climbed, he sold it despite the teasing. He refused to let 'the man who backed that bank' become who he was. [illustrative]
How to spot it
- ·you can change your mind without shame
- ·no view is 'part of who I am'
- ·warning sign: defending a call to protect pride
Naval Ravikant · The Almanack of Naval Ravikant