Challenging the Way You Think
It should come as no surprise that I was obsessed with horses at an early age. I wanted to watch horse movies, read horse books, and wore cowboy boots everywhere from the time I could walk. I talked about horses constantly and was always begging my Pop to take me out to the barn.
In second grade, my teacher assigned us a report on our favorite subject. Naturally, I picked horses. Excitedly telling my Pop about how I was doing a report on different horse breeds, he told me I had to pick something else. He was tired of hearing about horses and was convinced my “mind had been warped” on too much horse stuff.
So, he took me to the library — but not to the animal section, where I normally lived. Instead, he told me to wander. I found books on the Seven Wonders of the World, human anatomy, plant identification, and airplanes. I checked them out and dove in. To my surprise, I loved it. Each new subject opened a door to another world I hadn’t known existed.
From then on, I intentionally sought out new-to-me subjects to learn from every time I went to the library. I liked learning about new things, because learning about new things made me think differently about lots of things. New knowledge opened up my mind’s eye to a broader, bigger world, with many more unexplained phenomena needing exploration.
The Cost of Closed Minds
Today, our society feels like it’s lost that same sense of curiosity. We’ve become more and more polarized. People self-segregate. Identity politics has become the number one prerequisite for entrance into a tribe. Folks automatically reject anything that doesn’t echo back their own biases. Belonging is measured by conformity. Disagreement - on anything - is treated as a betrayal.
We don’t want to get to know our neighbors. We screen everyone through homogeneity checks. We focus so intently on all the ways that we’re different that we fail to see the many things in which we have in common - potential bridges from which we can build positive relationships with one another, restoring the fabric of our frayed communities.
This self-imposed sorting comes at a very high cost. The assumptions we cling to in the name of protection often keep us from building the very connections that could shield us from life’s unpredictability. A low-trust, high-polarization environment doesn’t just fracture communities — it makes us easier targets for manipulation. Foreign adversaries don’t need to plant new divisions; they just need to amplify the ones we’ve already built.
Iron Sharpens Iron
The world in which we live is a rapidly changing place. Technology amplified the rate of innovation to lightning speed. Our forefathers would be shocked at the many ways advancement has disrupted previously established industries and sectors. Our little minds struggle to keep up with the non-stop change swirling through our lives.
To adapt to the ever-evolving environment, we humans need each other, and the type of dynamic influx of information only found from iron sharpening iron.
At the end of every TippingSpears with Hannah Becker podcast episode, I close out the discussion with an “I hope today’s episode challenged the way you think.”
I don’t want you to necessarily think just like everyone on the show. I want you to turn the kaleidoscope on your own perspective and reflect with new information from sources that may not be 100% aligned with your paradigm. I want you to evaluate and assess the things you know to be true through the lens of new information and different perspectives from people who are not just like you.
That’s why I host guests from across the spectrum - different branches of service, political views, and professional paths. Each one brings a unique perspective to cyber, defense, and leadership. Every conversation leaves me with an “ah-ha” moment: a challenge I hadn’t considered, a book I can’t wait to read, or an idea I want to explore further. Anyway it goes, my beliefs and thought processes are challenged, revised, and strengthened in accordance with new information.
Where’s Your Mind At?
We all need that kind of mental cross-training. Too often, we sit in silos of sameness - following authors, influencers, and media outlets that reinforce what we already believe. We retreat into comfort zones, whether that’s a gated community, a curated feed, or a social circle that looks and thinks just like us.
But just like my childhood horse obsession, an unbalanced focus - even on good things - narrows our view. To grow stronger, wiser, and more resilient, we need regular input from different sources.
So, here’s my challenge to you: this week, read something that pushes your assumptions. Talk with someone who doesn’t necessarily share your perspective. Learn about something completely new.
You might just discover that broadening your mind is the first step towards a better, brighter future.
Need a place to start? Check out LTG Jeff Buchanan’s episode on “Tipping Spears”, where he talks about leadership, resilience, and clarity in chaos.