Why a Beginner's Mind is Your Biggest Asset
I've been pondering and wondering…with my head in the clouds about what to write to you guys this week, when in fact, the answer had been staring at me all the while.
Being a Newbie... that's the path I've been on now for close to a year.
Knowing nothing about AI or No-Code, I began the journey, not knowing where it would take me.
And that's what I'd love to chat with you about today.
So, let's close all those browser tabs down, and head for the kitchen to make a soothing cup of something warm and invigorating.
Here are this week's TLDR nuggets:
?The Newbie Advantage:?
?As Kevin Kelly says in his sublime book: “The Inevitable”
"All of us—every one of us—will be endless newbies in the future simply trying to keep up.
Here’s why: First, most of the important technologies that will dominate life 30 years from now have not yet been invented, so naturally you’ll be a newbie to them.
Second, because the new technology requires endless upgrades, you will remain in the newbie state.
Third, because the cycle of obsolescence is accelerating (the average lifespan of a phone app is a mere 30 days!), you won’t have time to master anything before it is displaced, so you will remain in the newbie!"
So, Empty Your Cup!
I love my Zen Koans {https://ashidakim.com/zenkoans/1acupoftea.html} and this is one of my ultimate favorites.
Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea.
He poured his visitor's cup full and then kept on pouring.
The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull.
No more will go in!"
"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"
So, empty your cup – your mind.
Forget what you think you know, and start exploring AI from diverse perspectives.
I feel this also ties in with being a newbie: being willing to know that you don’t know what you don’t know.
领英推荐
Yet, with this open mindset, you can learn anything you want and more!
Learning, Unlearning, Relearning
Alvin Toffler said it best: "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn."
That's one of the biggest takeaways from my time in No-Code and equally AI learning.
Even if you don't end up doing what you thought you would, the process is very much about problem-solving and thinking skills - and that's a value you can take anywhere.
Where Curiosity Leads
Little did I know, I'd fall in love with technoethics and the fascinating questions about philosophy and morality in this 4th Industrial Revolution.
So, keep yourself wide open, because things are not always what they seem.
As Tolkien said in his epic 'The Lord of the Rings', book "Not all those who wander are lost."
My own path has been full of wandering! {Thats why I love my "Wabbit holes!"}
From trail running to yoga to studying python… and now I'm fascinated to find that the more I learn about AI, the more it reveals what it means to be truly human.
Machines vs. the Uniquely Human
Yes, there is digital intelligence, but I want to focus on biological intelligence. Things like intuition, sensory awareness, compassion, ethics, creativity, and human emotions.
?As fabulous as tech is, machines don't have the same awareness we do.
They can drive a car, but they don't know that they're driving a car.
We must remember that machines and AI are tools, and we are the human creators and guides.
As Gerd Leonhard reminds us, let's pursue competence, not consciousness.
Enjoy your unique aliveness, your consciousness, your humanness.
I will leave you with this: What will you choose to unlearn this week?
Let me know in the comments!
Blessings Always
Until next week,
Nix G
Cape Town.
BPO | IT | Sales | Customer Services | Demand and Lead Generation | Marketing
10 个月Enjoying your series Nix - keep it up!
Senior Director, Pricing and Contracts at Amneal Pharmaceuticals
11 个月The concept of unlearning something kind of hits like a perfectly clear glass door that you walk face-first into because you don't see it. Do you pivot away, overwrite, ignore, erase? Can you give an example of your own experience? I like being a newbie but have no comfort level with it at the expense of what I already know.
System Wizard | Activator and Integrator | Programme, Project and Stakeholder Management | Coach | Facilitator | Practitioner | Content Creator
11 个月Awesome article! and LOVE "The newbie advantages" and the gift of "being willing to know that you don’t know what you don’t know".
Human rights activist at Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
11 个月beginners minds are our investments and also easily to reach to their minds.
AI, No-Code & Low-Code | Hiring & Talent Sourcing | Workshops | Helping Teams Use AI Tools | Helping Freelancers Get Low-Code Work
11 个月How are you doing? Eugene Rossouw ??????