Welcome to the Daily Quote, the podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, Andrew McGivern, and this episode is brought to you by the Great News podcast. Because great news should be heard, and the link is right here in the show notes.
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Today’s quote comes from Michael Faraday. He was one of the great experimental scientists of the 19th century and his approach depended on questioning his own assumptions and testing ideas against evidence. You know, the scientific method!
Michael Faraday once said…
“There is nothing quite as frightening as someone who knows they are right.”
First lets start with what this quote is not saying. At least I think so because I could be wrong. See what I did there.
This quote isn’t an attack on confidence. It’s about what happens when confidence becomes certainty. The key word to focus on here is knows.
There is a big difference between “I think I’m right” and “I know I’m right”
Being confident about your ideas can help you take action and present your ideas, defend them or publish them. But being certain about your ideas can mean you stop listening. You dismiss contradictory evidence instead of investigating.
This doesn’t just apply to science. It is the same in politics, relationships, work, parenting, business and everyday arguments. Being willing to say I might be wrong isn’t weakness. It is intellectual humility. Faraday is also documented as saying… “a person who is certain they're right is “almost sure to be wrong.”
Michael Faraday’s career is a great example of this. He was always willing to test his theories and examine all possibilities.
Progress comes from being willing to test your assumptions rather than protect them.
So here’s the question:
Have you ever been absolutely convinced you were right about something but later discovered you were wrong?
I know I have.
You don’t have to abandon your convictions. Just leave the door open for new evidence.
Just like most things in life a little balance is the best way to go. Be confident enough to take action while remaining humble enough to discover that you might be wrong.
That’s going to do it for today. I’m Andrew McGivern signing off for now, but I’ll be back… tomorrow! Same pod time, same pod station with another Daily Quote.
