wrong | The Caleb Barney Collection

New information is an invitation to question old opinions

It’s ok to have an opinion on something even if you’re not an expert in that field. But to keep that opinion (whether it be informed or uninformed) may not be logical once new information comes to light.

You should focus on having the right answer, even if that means you were wrong before. Strive to be right as often as possible, but don’t stick with your original opinion that you know is wrong just so you don’t have to say you were wrong before. Everyone is wrong about many things over the course of their lifetimes. But the ones who are generally viewed as the smartest and most successful are the ones who are able to admit when they’re wrong and to move forward when they are presented with more recent information.

Start being excited about what could go right

Get excited!

Read, listen to podcasts, watch YouTube videos, talk to others, and actually start taking action.

Things can always go wrong (especially if you haven’t taken the time to properly prepare). But if you’ve mitigated your risk by doing everything you can ahead of time, you need to think about the opportunity cost of NOT taking action.

Most actions are reversible (or you can at least get back to a similar position if things don’t work out). So what’s the worst can that happen? You try, fail, and end up back where you’re at? Oh well. At least you’ll know you tried. And then you can use your experience to learn and try something else, should you decide to keep going after it.

If you never go for what excites you, you’ll always wonder “what if…” Why do that to yourself? Get excited about your potential and the opportunities that await and start taking action!

Changing opinions and admitting when you’re wrong

The “better” man or woman isn’t the one who is always right (which, by the way, is impossible, as nobody is always right). The “better” man or woman is the one who is able to admit when they are wrong and to take corrective actions.

Nobody is perfect. I’d like to think that most people are good and they want what’s best for everyone, but with a bias towards what also helps them the most.

Our thinking is skewed by our past. Whatever has happened to us previously, or what is happening to us now, any hardships we’ve faced and either defeated or were overcome by, the friends we are surrounded with, those are the things that affect our views in life. So while I may disagree with you, it is because of the experiences that have shaped my life. I haven’t walked a mile in your shoes just like you haven’t done the same in mine. What is most important is that we be respectful of each other’s opinions. We can try to persuade someone else, but ultimately, it is up to them to decide what they want/how they feel. The only thing you should really focus on is trying to be open-minded.

It takes a bigger person to try to understand someone else as opposed to trying to silence them. And who knows? Maybe by understanding others, you’ll be willing to change your mind along the way.