The ZEN concept “Shoshin” will open your mind to new things.
I have seen the same idea, same ways and same track of doing things. I played soccer for over 7 years of my life and I got the chance to learn from 4 coaches, but I see the same thing repeating itself in them.
The coaches style of work were the same. We followed the same pattern of training. The only difference in them was their various attitudes. Most of the coaches learned from someone and they all emulate their masters and they tried to pass it down to us.
Your religious beliefs result from how we were impacted. I was having a conversation with a friend and I asked him. “Are you a Muslim because you believe in Allah or because you were born into a Muslim family”? His response was funny, he said, “because I belief in Allah”. He tried to prove a point, but I did not buy it.
It has been proven that people born in Muslim, Christian or any other religion grow up to be in the religion. So, we grow up to think like someone and beliefs from religion Holy books.
But one thing is, what is the best way of doing things? Who knows the perfects ways of living? What about everything you have been taught in life are lies and you have been living all your life with the wrong mindset? This applies to every aspect of life. You may have a good skill, but there may be a better way of doing it. Most of us become a servant to old beliefs and we take in the old's theories of doing things.
The Zen concept. Shoshin.
Zen Mahayana Buddhism is a school in China, and there is a concept known as Shoshin, which means the “Beginner’s mind”. It means to have a mind of openness to learn and take in new things. It is a conceptual way of learning and adopting a new thing.
Children take in whatever they see people around them doing, and a true beginner should have an open mind like a kid. Your true willingness to learn would make you absorb more things. Most of us used to see some things and we care little to check further because we feel — “I already know this thing, I don’t need it”.
The truth is, as time passes new things emerge and therefore we need to be open-minded to new things. There is a risk in expertise without openness. For instance, the ways technology emerges. The ways of writing code in 2000 are not the ways of doing it now in 2020. More languages emerged. There have been improvements and changes in the old ones.
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Using the Zen concept.
There are ways to learn new things and to adopt the Zen concept, and I will share a few.
Argue to learn and you don’t have to win always.
Sometimes because you don’t see something at your angle doesn’t mean another person is wrong. Life place things to us from different angles and life is about perception. I had a friend about 15 years ago. He never likes to lose to anyone in arguments. He argues to win, and the opponent would have to let go or it turns to something bad. And he gets no good points from arguments. In every argument, ignore the need to prove a point and let your mind open to learning new things. Sometimes we learn from kids.
Pretend like you are naïve.
Just like the concept says, “the beginner’s mind”. In every space that you know you can get something, assume you know nothing and take in the power and fortune to know more. Every day teaches us a new thing, but it is only people that see the lesson part of the day that would get the full benefits.
Ignore adding values always.
It is a good thing to add value. The world needs people of value, and every environment needs someone that could be a leader. But one thing about this is that it limits the ways you get other people's ideas. You just do the talking and creating the values always without getting to hear and get from people’s idea. Sometimes, sit back, fold your arms, and listen like you are the inferior in the place. One sentence could change everything you have ever believed in your life.
Take Shoshin and debunk some old beliefs.