What do you think?

“What do you think?” asked my friend as we left the movie theatre. Hearing this, reminded me of all the times I’ve had this question asked to me since childhood – after exams, movies, presentations, board room discussions etc. I often wonder about the purpose behind this seemingly common and simple question. Are people interested in my thoughts or simply asking this to reaffirm theirs? How often have we been the first ones to voice our opinion on what we feel about the subject? I’ve often seen people wait for collective approval or disapproval before joining the party!

Why do we find it so easy to buy into collective thinking rather than truly believe in our thoughts? Researchers claim that an average human being approximately has sixty thousand thoughts in a day. It is these thoughts that define our identity and make us different from one another much like our fingerprints. This is what makes us unique and gives each one of us our identity.  ‘Cogito ergo sum’ – I think therefore I am!

A few people have the courage to think and be different and more often than not, they have been handsomely rewarded by nature. Think of scientists, fashion gurus, and successful entrepreneurs and you’ll find they always believed in themselves and were anything but conformists.

I encourage you to create and nourish your identity and feel free to voice your opinions and think outside the box. In the process, not only will you discover who you are, but so will your team members and managers. Don’t hesitate to be the first to voice your opinion, don’t hesitate to question decisions (including your own), and don’t hesitate to bring creative ideas to the table that may initially seem improbable.

Don’t forget that for centuries people thought that the Earth was the centre of the Universe!