Think Again by Adam Grant: A Must Read
Think Again by Adam Grant
Book Review by Abby Conway
What. A. Book. I found this book through listening to Brenè Brown’s podcast, Dare to Lead. Adam Grant was a guest on the show, and I was so intrigued for the entirety of the episode—so much so that while I was in the middle of my walk and listening, I stopped in my tracks and immediately added Think Again to my Goodreads list. I ordered a physical copy of the book because I had this gut feeling that I would be marking in it a ton. Thank goodness I did because there are so many good nuggets that are highlighted throughout, along with approximately 100 tabs marking important concepts or visuals for me to go back and reference.
The book is set up in four parts, and really takes you on a journey for how to learn the process of rethinking, and how to embrace it within your life. In this point of time where everything feels polarizing and everything is constantly unknown, Grant provides a pathway for us to truly challenge our own ideals and learn how to better communicate with others through rethinking.
Part One walks the reader through updating your own views and helps to breakdown what may or may not be happening within a current thought process. Part 2 takes it a step further and discusses how we open other people’s minds—like understanding debates and what really motivates people to change (both their ways and viewpoints). Part 3 dives into how we create communities of lifelong learners, such as learning how to not shy away from hard conversations and how to get away from the “we always have done it this way” mindset in a workplace. Part 4 brings it all together and walks the reader through how to escape tunnel vision in your life, and provides and actions for impact that provide food for thought on how to move forward after finishing the book.
Grant notes, “It takes humility to reconsider our past commitments, doubt to question our present decisions, and curiosity to reimagine our future plans. What we discover along the way can free us from the shackles of our familiar surroundings and our former selves. Rethinking liberates us to do more than update our knowledge and opinions—it’s a tool for leading a more fulfilling life.” Utilizing rethinking as a tool allows for both personal and professional growth. Through engaging with rethinking on a regular basis, we are more open minded and adaptable to everything happening around us. To put this in perspective, how wild is it to think about how your dream job might not even exist yet? Rethinking allows us to be
If you are someone who wants to explore the power of knowing what you don’t know, this book is for you. If you are someone who wants to have your mind opened to the power of rethinking, this book is for you. I cannot recommend this book enough (trust me I have told many many people to get this book in the past month) because of the impacts that I feel in my daily though process and experiences. This book has turned my world upside down in the best ways, and truthfully has made me feel more confident in working towards being a lifelong leaner and being comfortable in what I don’t know. This book does not disappoint, and I feel very confident in saying it will be one that is consistently referenced (just don’t forget to have page tabs and a highlighter handy when you are reading!).
“The simplest way to start rethinking our options is to question what we do daily.” —Adam Grant
