Adam M. Grant Quotes

“A hallmark of wisdom is knowing when it’s time to abandon some of your most treasured tools, and some of the most cherished parts of your identity.”

“After all, the purpose of learning isn't to affirm our beliefs; it's to evolve our beliefs.”

“Being a scientist is not just a profession, it's a frame of mind... Scientific tools are not reserved for people in white coats and beakers. Hypotheses have as much place in our lives as they do in the lab. Experiments can inform our daily decisions.”

“Confidence is a measure of how much you believe in yourself. Evidence shows that's distinct from how much you believe in your methods. You can be confident in your ability to achieve a goal in the future while maintaining the humility to question whether you have the right tools in the present. That's the sweet spot of confidence.”

“Stop asking kids what they want to be when the grow up. They don't have to define themselves in terms of a career. A single identity can close the door to alternatives. Instead of trying to narrow their options, help them to broaden their possibilities. They don't have to be one thing. They can do many things.”

“There's a fine line between heroic persistence and foolish stubbornness. Sometimes the best kind of grit is gritting our teeth and turning around.”

“Uncertainty primes us to ask questions and absorb new ideas.”

“We often favor feeling right, over being right.”

“When ideas survive it's not because they're true – it's because they are interesting. What makes an idea interesting is that it changes our weakly held opinions.”

“When people are resistant to change, it helps to reinforce what will stay the same.”