A Paranoia I have Adopted

There's this concept "a beginner's mindset". AFAIK it comes from Zen Buddhism. It's the idea that you should approach each task, activity, or the world in general with the mind of a beginner: being open to learning, examining, re-thinking. With being okay to admit that you're wrong or stupid or naive. Beginners have no problem feeling this way. Experts do.

When I first heard this my response was "Ya okay that makes sense". Maybe even "Oh that sounds important". But I didn't think much more about it. I was already approaching the world that way, of course, right?

The problem, I think, is that I didn't give it nearly enough weight. I thought about it, but didn't THINK about it, you know? But this concept is HEAVY. This is possibly the most important thing I have ever thought about. Instead of "oh I should have a beginner's mind, sure thing' I wish my response was — I would like my response going forward to be — "HOLY DAMN YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE A BEGINNERS MIND CHARLES THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT FOCUS ON THIS AND NOTHING ELSE".

The moment I stop having a beginner's mind, the moment I think "I'm good at X" or "I'm doing so well" or "I've got it all figured out" or "I'm smart", THAT is the moment that I stop learning. That's the moment I stop growing. That's the moment I die.^1

1: "He not busy being born is busy dying."