Think Again

The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know

By: Adam Grant

Narrated by: Adam Grant

Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Number One New York Times Best Seller

“This. This is the right book for right now. Yes, learning requires focus. But, unlearning and relearning requires much more - it requires choosing courage over comfort. In Think Again, Adam Grant weaves together research and storytelling to help us build the intellectual and emotional muscle we need to stay curious enough about the world to actually change it. I’ve never felt so hopeful about what I don’t know.” (Brené Brown, PhD, number one New York Times best-selling author of Dare to Lead)

The best-selling author of Give and Take and Originals examines the critical art of rethinking: learning to question your opinions and open other people's minds, which can position you for excellence at work and wisdom in life

Intelligence is usually seen as the ability to think and learn, but in a rapidly changing world, there's another set of cognitive skills that might matter more: the ability to rethink and unlearn. In our daily lives, too many of us favor the comfort of conviction over the discomfort of doubt. We listen to opinions that make us feel good, instead of ideas that make us think hard. We see disagreement as a threat to our egos, rather than an opportunity to learn. We surround ourselves with people who agree with our conclusions, when we should be gravitating toward those who challenge our thought process. The result is that our beliefs get brittle long before our bones. We think too much like preachers defending our sacred beliefs, prosecutors proving the other side wrong, and politicians campaigning for approval - and too little like scientists searching for truth. Intelligence is no cure, and it can even be a curse: being good at thinking can make us worse at rethinking. The brighter we are, the blinder to our own limitations we can become.

Organizational psychologist Adam Grant is an expert on opening other people's minds - and our own. As Wharton's top-rated professor and the bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take, he makes it one of his guiding principles to argue like he's right but listen like he's wrong. With bold ideas and rigorous evidence, he investigates how we can embrace the joy of being wrong, bring nuance to charged conversations, and build schools, workplaces, and communities of lifelong learners. You'll learn how an international debate champion wins arguments, a Black musician persuades white supremacists to abandon hate, a vaccine whisperer convinces concerned parents to immunize their children, and Adam has coaxed Yankees fans to root for the Red Sox. Think Again reveals that we don't have to believe everything we think or internalize everything we feel. It's an invitation to let go of views that are no longer serving us well and prize mental flexibility over foolish consistency. If knowledge is power, knowing what we don't know is wisdom.

©2021 Adam Grant (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

Named a best nonfiction book of 2021 by The Washington Post

"Renowned Wharton professor Grant spotlights one of the most important and impactful themes of our time: questioning one's own deeply held beliefs. Grant frames true knowledge as not knowing everything, but rather, listening as if we knew nothing at all in this intrepid book that is what our present moment requires." (Newsweek, "Our 21 Favorite Books of 2021") ]

“In a world of aggressive certitude, Adam Grant’s latest book is a refreshing mandate for humble open-mindedness. Think Again offers a particularly powerful case for rethinking what we already know...that is not just a useful lesson; it could be a vital one.” (Financial Times)

“In his latest book, Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know, [Grant] is in vintage form.” (The Wall Street Journal)

Worth listening to

Interesting & worth your time. Got a little slow a couple times, but picked up again. In the end I decided to do the book again & pass on a recommendation to my daughter & friends to read.

Time to Think again

Good reminder to rethink your priorities and beliefs. The book is short enough to digest quickly but still has good poignant examples

Simply excellent

I have listened to Adam Grant’s Ted Talks and liked him but had not read his earlier books. In “Think Again”, He asks pertinent questions, finds supporting experiments and conducts ones when there aren’t any. It is much more fascinating than my description sounds. I listened to it on my 30 minute commute twice a day and always looked forward to it. Sad that it’s over.

As a way of life

This book should become the basis of high school curriculum and corporate strategy. It’s fundamental.

practical ways to improve outcomes

well structured, insightful, and time well spent
this book should be required reading for every HS sophomore and junior

Good book to always open your mind by rethinking

Good book to always open your mind by rethinking your possibilities and not be stubborn on one opinion

Actually makes you think again.

I found Think Again thought provoking and thoughtful. The notion of ongoing evaluation and non-binary thinking is presented in a logical, comprehensive, enjoyable way. And Adam Grant’s enthusiasm and passion oozes from his voice. If you’re interested in workplace dynamics and communication at all, I highly recommend this book.

Everyone should read this!

The views, methods and ideas Adam Grant offers in this book, is what we need right now in a culture of so much division. If we all were to shift our way of thinking we could understand each other better and not allow our egos to block our opportunity to learn and grow. I loved it so much, I’m going to listen it again!

definitely worth the read

covers a very important topic which is all about what we think and believe and how to challenge our belief systems. we all have certain. views on things and often it can be hard to change them. often, were not even aware of how they limit us either professionally or personally. Adams book really helps us understand how this impacts us but more importantly how we can become aware of our thinking and how we can go about changing or at least challenging our own beliefs. in a world that's constantly changing, being able to constantly challenge our most prized held beliefs and working with others towards learning new ways of thinking is probably one of the most important skills we can develop.

This should be mandatory reading for everyone!

This should be mandatory reading for everyone! Loved this book! Will definitely be re-reading it.