A few months ago, a friend was expressing his recent love for Murakami. He asked me if I had read his works before.

I smiled and told him to tell me all about him.

He proceeded to express his admiration for Norweigian Wood and Kafka on the Shore. “I don’t know how he does it,” he said. “It’s like living in a dream; a beautiful, chaotic dream.”

The truth was, I had read Murakami before. He was my favourite Japanese author. But because I let my friend talk that day, I found my passion for literature reignited. His enthusiasm was intoxicating.

That day, I resolved that if I knew less than 90% on a topic, I would say I don’t know. Although I had read Murakami before, I was no expert and hadn’t analysed his works or style. I had much I could still learn. And when I listened, it was very refreshing to listen to someone with valuable insights to share. The beginner’s mindset is open to new possibilities and inspirations.

This rule also allows others to express themselves more freely. Imagine how discouraging it would be if I said, “Oh yeah, I’ve read those too.” My friend may feel disappointed at not being able to share his treasure. The magic is lost. The power of inspiration is gone.

What I’ve found since then is world becomes more interesting in general. If you start from the premise that you know nothing rather than you know a bit, your task becomes discovery rather than recall. You becomes curious rather than stressed.

If what you learn aligns with what you already know, then great! That is reassurance of your knowledge. But if it is different, then suddenly you have a challenge; and challenges are seeds for growth.