The Power of Rethinking - Why It’s So Hard & How It Fuels Success

Lately, this theme has been coming up a lot in my coaching conversations: Why is it so hard to rethink our beliefs, change our minds, or let go of outdated strategies?

In leadership and entrepreneurship, we celebrate conviction. We admire strong-minded, clear-sighted leaders - those who are decisive, confident, and unwavering in their beliefs. But what if this is the greatest myth of success?

Adam Grant, in Think Again, argues that great entrepreneurs and leaders don’t just have strong opinions, they actively rethink them. In a fascinating experiment on the Italian startup ecosystem, entrepreneurs who were taught to think like scientists - searching for truth instead of trying to be right - grew their revenue twice as fast as those who clung to their original strategies and products.

It turns out, the ability to rethink isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a competitive advantage.

🧩 Why Is Rethinking So Difficult?

Changing your mind isn’t just an intellectual exercise, it’s deeply personal. Here’s why:

1️⃣ Rethinking Feels Like Losing Part of Ourselves

Our beliefs are not isolated ideas. They are woven into our identity—a complex network of interconnected concepts. When one belief is proven wrong, it’s like pulling a thread that threatens to unravel the entire fabric of how we see the world.

This makes rethinking feel unpredictable, uncertain, and even threatening to our sense of self.

2️⃣ Our Brains Seek Certainty

The brain is designed to seek certainty, find patterns and make sense of the world. The more predictable things are, the safer we feel. Admitting that facts have changed or that we were wrong creates cognitive dissonance and instability: our mental map of the world shifts, and our brain resists that shift.

3️⃣ Intelligence Can Actually Work Against Us

Surprisingly, higher IQ can make rethinking even harder. Why? Because smart people are often better at rationalising their existing beliefs and coming up with arguments to defend them. Instead of updating their thinking, they double down.

This is known as IQ bias where intelligence gets weaponised against truth instead of being used to discover it.

🔬 Thinking Like a Scientist: A Superpower for Leaders

So how do we develop the ability to rethink, adapt, and evolve? The answer lies in shifting from a preacher, prosecutor, or politician mindset to a scientist mindset:

• Preacher Mode: Defending beliefs and convincing others we are right.

• Prosecutor Mode: Searching for flaws in opposing arguments.

• Politician Mode: Seeking approval and reinforcing what others want to hear.

Instead, great leaders think like scientists:

🔍 They search for truth, not for confirmation of their beliefs.

🔄 They see every opinion as a hypothesis to test.

🧪 They revise their views based on new evidence.

Being open-minded is not enough. We must be actively open-minded - intentionally searching for where we might be wrong, not just reacting when confronted with opposing views.

If knowledge is power, knowing what you don’t know is wisdom.

🛠 Practice: How to Train Yourself to Think Like a Scientist

Rethinking isn’t just about humility, it’s also about skill. Here’s how to practice it:

1️⃣ The “Could I Be Wrong?” Check

Before making a strong argument, pause and ask:

🔹 What’s one reason this belief might be wrong?

🔹 If I were to challenge myself, what counter-evidence would I look for?

🔹 What would change my mind?

If the answer is nothing, you might be attached to the belief rather than the truth.

2️⃣ Run Small Experiments

Instead of assuming you’re right, test ideas as experiments:

💡 Try an alternative approach for one week and see what happens.

📊 Gather data before rejecting or accepting a new method.

🛠 Think of strategy as a prototype, not a fixed blueprint.

3️⃣ Seek Disconfirming Evidence

We naturally seek information that reinforces our beliefs (confirmation bias). Instead, actively look for:

🔍 Research or perspectives that challenge your view.

🗣 Conversations with people who think differently.

📚 Books and podcasts that present opposing arguments.

This isn’t about proving yourself wrong—it’s about making better, more informed decisions.

🌊 Managing Change: Rethinking for Yourself and Others

So when you change your mind, help others understand why by managing change effectively.

One reason we resist change is that it feels like a loss of stability. When everything is evolving, we fear losing our identity.

🛠 The key to managing change isn’t just painting a bold vision for the future—it’s also highlighting what will stay the same.

📌 When leading through transformation, try this:

✅ Reinforce core values and identity: "Our strategy is evolving, but our mission remains the same."

✅ Clarify what’s staying: "While we’re changing our approach, our commitment to customers/end-users won’t change."

✅ Use continuity as an anchor: "We are growing, not abandoning who we are."

Change is easier to embrace when we know what will endure.

🎯 My Joy in Rethinking

There are few things I love more than when someone challenges my thinking in a way that makes me rethink my beliefs.

For me, it’s not threatening, it’s exciting! It feels like an adventure, like updating my mental map of the world to be a better, more evolved version of myself. Rethinking opens entirely new opportunities that I wouldn’t have considered before.

A brilliant example? Richard Frodin once shifted my perspective completely when he argued that employees are not our greatest asset - they are our greatest investment. That framing fundamentally changed how I thought about people strategy since. Thank you, Richard!

✨ Actionable Practice: The Rethinking Habit

This week, try these prompts:

1️⃣ Pause and Reflect: What’s one belief I hold strongly and what evidence can I find suggesting I could be wrong?

2️⃣ Test a Hypothesis: What’s one small experiment I can run to challenge my assumptions?

3️⃣ Seek Disconfirming Evidence: Where can I expose myself to perspectives that challenge my thinking?

🌱 Your Thoughts?

I’d love to hear your thoughts! One of my favourite interview questions to test mental flexibility is:

“Tell me about something you read, watched, or listened to that made you change your mind. What was it, and how did it shift your perspective?”

How would you answer this question, if asked? Let’s start a conversation - drop your thoughts in the comments!

📅 Events & Resources

📖 Resource: Adam Grant’s Think Again on how rethinking fuels success.

🛠 Workshop: I am due to deliver a Breathwork Masterclass to London COO Roundtable on 27th February - if your organisation is curious, let’s talk!

🧭 Coaching Availability: I have a few 1:1 coaching slots available for Q1. Book a discovery call here.

Stay open, stay curious, and rethink boldly.

Love,

Dag

If you're a leader or tech startup executive curious about integrating a scientist mindset into leadership and decision-making, let’s connect. Visit my website dagmaraaldridge.com, email coaching@dagmaraaldridge.com, or use the ‘Book a Meeting’ button on my LinkedIn profile. Let’s explore what’s waiting to unfold.