When your greatest strength becomes your biggest risk

Philosophy Dp. Harvard. Photo credit: Myself

Lessons from Think Again

For many years, I believed that being consistent meant never changing my mind.
That certainty was essential for leadership.
That doubt was a weakness.

Today, I think differently.

Today, I’m grateful to stay open to thinking again—as Adam Grant invites us to do in his book Think Again.

And I see why this matters—both from personal experience and from working with leaders, executives, and senior professionals.

- Many people don’t get stuck because they lack capability.
- They get stuck because they have too much certainty.

We were trained to have answers.
But we were rarely trained to revisit our answers.

An uncomfortable (and necessary) reminder

In Think Again, Grant offers a simple but challenging truth:

Growth doesn’t come from knowing more.
Real growth comes from questioning what you once felt sure about.

For those leading teams, companies, families, or high-stakes decisions, this is critical.

✦ Reframing is not moving backward.
✦ Doubt is not weakness.
✦ Changing your mind is not inconsistency.

It’s maturity.
It’s evolution.
It’s intelligence applied to real life.

A painful example: BlackBerry

For years, BlackBerry dominated the market.
It was the corporate phone.

(I still remember having my own BlackBerry—young and with little experience, but feeling like a great executive 😄)

Executives loved it.
Governments relied on it.
Companies trusted it.

At the height of its success, BlackBerry had something that seemed unshakable:
absolute certainty.

When touchscreen smartphones appeared, leadership saw them… and chose not to rethink.

✦ “Our formula is superior.”
✦ “The physical keyboard is irreplaceable.”
✦ “Our way will keep working.”

They defended their beliefs with pride.

And that’s when their greatest strength—their confidence—became their greatest threat.

Grant puts it clearly:
BlackBerry didn’t fail because of incompetence.
It failed because of mental rigidity.

They didn’t lose to technology.
They lost to their inability to question themselves.

Preacher, prosecutor, politician… or scientist

Grant explains we often operate in three modes:

✦ Preacher: defending beliefs as sacred truths.
✦ Prosecutor: trying to prove others wrong.
✦ Politician: saying what’s convenient to gain approval.

But the mode we need most today is different:

☞ The Scientist
Observes. Tests. Adjusts. Tries again.
Not focused on being right—
focused on staying aligned with reality, even when that requires change.

I see this in brilliant people every day

Successful professionals.
Recognized leaders.
People with strong, admirable careers…

…who suddenly feel confused, exhausted, or without direction.

Often, the cause isn’t external.

✦ Not the company.
✦ Not the economy.
✦ Not “age.”

It’s living from beliefs that no longer match who they are today.

Common ones I hear:

✦ “I’ve always been this way.”
✦ “This worked before—it should still work.”
✦ “If I change my mind, I’ll disappoint others.”
✦ “I can’t show doubt—I’m a leader.”

Without realizing it, they start looking more like BlackBerry than the scientist Grant describes.

Thinking again doesn’t break you. It frees you.

Think Again isn’t about changing for the sake of change.

It’s about updating your identity, your leadership, and your life—
the same way you update the software on your phone or computer.

It starts with brave questions:

✦ Which beliefs served me before but now limit me?
✦ Which decisions am I still making out of inertia?
✦ Which version of me needs an update for the future I want?

Because if you don’t question yourself, others will.
And not always in your favor.

If you’re in your 40s, 50s, or beyond—this skill is no longer optional

At this stage, it’s not just about external success.

We want:
✔ inner peace
✔ coherence
✔ emotional health
✔ purpose
✔ clarity—without self-pressure that breaks us

That takes courage.

Not to keep accelerating.
But to pause and ask:

“Is the story I’m telling myself about who I am… still true?”

My invitation

Maybe you don’t need more effort.
Maybe you don’t need more control.

Maybe what you need is space to think differently—
with calm, structure, and support.

That’s exactly what I do when working with professionals around the world:
helping them question without fear, redefine priorities, and design their next chapter with intention—without losing ambition.

✎ What belief helped you succeed… but might be holding you back today?

✎ If this article resonated and you want clarity to organize your mind, energy, and priorities—and adopt a scientist mindset—write to me. I’d love to support you.

#ThinkAgain #LeadershipDevelopment #MidCareer #Mindset #PersonalGrowth #VidaCoach