"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few."
– Shunryu Suzuki
The beginner's mind thinks, "I don't know what it's like to be Black, but it's probably a lot different than what it's like to be White."
The expert's mind thinks, "There's racism. It sucks. Get over it, and let's move on."
The beginner's mind thinks, "I'm not sure exactly what to do or say, but I'm going to listen and learn and take actions to fight racism, even if they're small."
The expert's mind thinks, "Hey Jim, did we get that unconscious bias training thingy scheduled? Let's do it soon so we can go back to business as usual."
The beginner's mind thinks, "I can see how Black people don't trust the cops, even though I feel safe around them."
The expert's mind thinks, "Cops have a difficult job. Only a handful of them are racist, but there's nothing wrong with the system in general."
The beginner's mind leads with empathy, compassion, and understanding.
The expert's mind leads with certainty, stoicism, and apathy.
The beginner's mind is full of love, connection, and appreciation.
The expert's mind is full of fear, impatience, and arrogance.
The beginner's mind is open.
The expert's mind is closed.
So, do you have a beginner's mind or an expert's?