“Keep an open mind. You may hear this frequently. You are told to do it, have it, acquire it, or maintain it. Some people even think they possess one. Do they? Do you? How can you tell when you are open to new ideas or when you shut down? Do you jump or rush to conclusions? Are you hasty or slow to decide or act?

Do you believe there’s a right answer to the problem? Do you believe there’s only one correct solution to any given situation? Are you convinced there is one way to think or do things and you know what that way is? Are things cut and dried? Do you see things as black or white, right or wrong?

Do you grab onto the first thing that you hear about, or that enters your mind, and establish it as a fact? What does it take to convince you of something? Of anything? Are you convinced you are right? When you argue do you listen to learn or seek to convince? Are you honest now?

Activate Your Attitude! Manage Your Mindset For Happiness And Success

Symptoms of you having a closed mind are often easier for others to notice about you than you can notice about yourself without training, a coach or a loving ally. When you have a closed mind it’s easy to pass judgement. You tend to lock onto things and argue your points.

You refuse to let go of your position and recognize other possibilities exist. Everyone else is wrong! You know it. You can tell. There ought to be a law for goodness’ sake! It is my way or the highway. I’ve got the answer. My definition is simple. Contempt for a new idea, prior to examination is a sign of a closed mind.

Many people dismiss an idea without exploring the merits of the idea simply because it does not fit their existing idea, gestalt or mindset. To quickly refuse to examine another point of view is a sign that the door to the mind is shut. What to do about it? Do you need curing? Can you be cured? Explore!

Activate Your Attitude! Manage Your Mindset For Happiness And Success

I always say exploration is the doorway to adventure. Be willing to journey elsewhere in your mind to discover what is possible. You can do this without even leaving where you are at. Simply decide to explore an idea or a concept, and research it. BE WILLING is the key! Read about it. Examine it while attempting to be open minded.

Seek to remain as open minded as possible. Be willing to be wrong. Yes, it may hurt but be willing to admit you may not know or you may be wrong. Oftentimes an admission from awareness is the very first step toward positive change. When the tendency to stay closed or shut down arises, stop it.

When you begin to think this is BS, stop it! Keep that tendency in check. Determine to listen, see it all the way through before making a judgement or labeling it as bunk. This requires discipline, especially if you’re quick to make judgements, but hang in there. Sometimes, you habitually shut down so fast it is instantaneous.

Activate Your Attitude! Manage Your Mindset For Happiness And Success

When you become aware that you are being closed minded and that you’ve already shut the door, open it back up! It may be difficult. Most likely it will be very difficult but do it anyway! Override the tendency to remain stupidly closed-minded. The more you open up the better you get. Correct practice, consistent for long enough.

Awareness is necessary to increase your ability to know when you are conning yourself and others. Awareness is the first step in being able to live wonderfully manifesting the good you’d like to manifest. Awareness grows through awareness.  You want to be able to recognize when you shut down or are about to shut down.

Notice it so you can seek to remain open. Learn not to need a conclusion but be able to maintain not having THE answer. Be willing to wait. Be patient. Listen. Look. Learn. Laugh. Live. Love. Be grateful when you become aware that you’re closed minded because that is when you can begin to change.

Activate Your Attitude! Manage Your Mindset For Happiness And Success

Transformation is possible when you can drop all that which is not necessary. Release and let go of being stubborn and a blockhead and be open to being wrong. Be open to being right. Learn to be open. Get feedback from someone qualified. Get quality feedback so you can recognize what you can drop and release. If you never listen, you will never learn. It’s why there are fewer masters than there are students or disciples. Ego stands in the way. Be willing to release so you can transform. Get it? Celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes