Think Again by Adam Grant Summary
Overview of Think Again
In "Think Again," Wharton's top-rated professor Adam Grant challenges us to embrace intellectual humility. Endorsed by Brene Brown and translated into 35 languages, this million-copy bestseller asks: What if your greatest strength isn't knowledge, but the willingness to admit what you don't know?
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Key takeaways
Rethinking Our Mental Defaults
Have you ever wondered why toddlers question everything while adults cling to certainty? In Mann Gulch, 1949, smokejumper Wagner Dodge faced an advancing wildfire and made a counterintuitive choice. Instead of running uphill with his crew, he lit an "escape fire," burning the grass to create a safe zone. His bewildered team refused to follow this unprecedented strategy. Twelve men died; Dodge survived. This tragedy illuminates how we typically approach challenges. Most of us operate in one of three limiting modes: preacher (defending sacred beliefs), prosecutor (finding flaws in others' reasoning), or politician (seeking approval). Each serves a purpose but closes us off from reconsidering our positions. The alternative? Think like a scientist. Scientists don't protect knowledge-they revise it. They actively seek ways they might be wrong, treating knowledge as a hypothesis rather than truth. This approach works far beyond laboratories. Italian entrepreneurs trained in scientific thinking generated $12,000 in revenue compared to just $300 for the control group because they pivoted twice as often, abandoning failed strategies. Consider BlackBerry's collapse from dominating nearly half the smartphone market to less than 1% by 2014. Co-founder Mike Lazaridis, despite his brilliance, dismissed touchscreens: "Try typing on a touchscreen without looking at it-impossible." He remained in preacher mode, defending rather than rethinking, even as evidence mounted that consumers wanted something different. Surprisingly, intelligence doesn't guarantee adaptability. It can actually make us more vulnerable to fixed thinking, as our analytical skills become weapons to protect rather than test our beliefs.
The Paradox of Confidence and Knowledge
Embracing the Joy of Being Wrong
The Power of Productive Disagreement
The Art of Opening Closed Minds
Breaking Free from Tribal Thinking
Questions That Transform Resistance
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
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"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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