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Published by Rachelle Disbennett-Lee
Friday, May 17, 2002
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Don't Read Only what You Agree with

One of the worse things that can happen to a person is to become uninformed. The good news is that in today's environment, where information is so widely available, we have many opportunities to keep ourselves informed. Reading is an excellent way to keep up on what is happening. The danger is we can become selective and read only what we agree with. Forming this habit keeps us isolated and half-informed.

One of the best things I have done, to keep myself informed, is to join a book club. A good benefit of the book club is the opportunity to read books I do not like or agree with. By reading books I would never have read or even known existed, I obtain a different point of view. I might not agree with the viewpoint or like the book, but I am now aware that both exist.

We cannot form an educated opinion in a vacuum. If we do not understand what the other side thinks then we don't have the opportunity to have all the facts. With a one-sided perspective, our opinions can easily become narrow-minded. Knowing what the other side is thinking and doing does not have to change our minds; it in fact can help us become more committed to our own position on the issue. We can better understand why we believe the way we do when we understand why others believe the way they do.

Coaching

Expand your horizons and occasionally read something you do not agree with. By doing this, you will keep informed and have more facts and opinions not just your own. If you want to expand even further, find someone who does not agree with you and have a discussion with them. Ask them many questions and learn as much as you can. Again, this is not about converting to the other person's opinion. It is simply a way to broaden your perspective.

What have you read lately that you didn't agree with?

Daily Success Formula

Reading what you do not agree with = Keeping informed

Quotes

"Free speech is not to be regulated like diseased cattle and impure butter. The audience . . . that hissed yesterday may applaud today, even for the same performance." William O. Douglas

"Do not seek the truth, only cease to cherish your opinions." Zen Proverb