Beginner’s Mind

If you haven’t picked up Rick Rubin’s book The Creative Act, I highly recommend it. Rubin argues that we are all creative in one way or another and that tapping into our more creative selves can unlock great power and possibility in business and life. I could go on about the merits of this book but let me share just one of the concepts that resonated as I think it’s pretty powerful: the Beginner’s Mind.

Rubin describes this mindset as “starting from a pure childlike place of not knowing. Living in the moment with as few fixed beliefs as possible…There’s a great power in not knowing,” he continues. “If we approach a task with ignorance, it can remove the barricade of knowledge blocking progress.” For those of you with kids, this way of looking at the world probably sounds familiar. Think about it: little kids are radically honest, uniquely present with their wants and needs, and they can’t help but approach the world with a sense of wonder and play. “For children,” Rubin reminds us, “each moment in time is all there is.”

A renowned music producer, Rubin taps into this mindset to elicit the best work from his clients, but the truth is we could all stand to remove some of our cynicism and preconceived notions when approaching problems and situations. We could certainly benefit from more wonder, joy, and radical candor. 

When I think about the most carefree days of my childhood, I always return to Twig Lane, the first street I grew up on. Yes, life always seems simpler when you go back in time, but more than that, Twig Lane represents a certain kind of freedom and unbridled joy in my memory. For hours on end, my friends and I would wander the woods, exploring the forest, building forts, hunting for fossils, climbing trees, you get the idea. 

I named my company Twig Lane Group because it had nostalgic value for me, but in reading about Beginner’s Mind, I realized it’s probably also because, on some deeper level, Twig Lane represents a time of such promise and possibility for me. How fitting, then, as I build out services and experiences for clients and companies, I am constantly reminded to approach each new opportunity as if it were the first time…to transport myself back to that feeling of raw curiosity, wonder, and joy and see where it leads.