Implementing The Beginner's Mind

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." -Shunryu Suzuki

On the rare occasion when I’m not immersed in online communities and new media nerdery, I can often be found on my yoga mat. I’ve been practicing yoga and meditation for ten years now and could write a series of blog posts about how yoga has changed my life for the better.

Thankfully, this is not that post.

Instead I’m going to talk about a particular practice I first learned in yoga class but apply to my professional life daily: The Beginner’s Mind.

For those unfamiliar the Beginner's Mind, it's basically this: When coming to something as a beginner, you are open to new possibility and able to see many options. When you approach as an "expert," your field of vision becomes narrowed by what you "know." For those of us producing content that's meant to reach out to and engage a broad audience, this concept can present a real challenge. How do we step outside what we "know" to create content that's as full of rich possibility as it is full of tight copy and best practices?

When I review something for work, a blast email probably being the best example, I try and look it over twice. My first glance is absolutely with the eyes of someone who’s been doing this for a while. I have a checklist of common mistakes in my head, and experience has given me a good eye for catching them. I can spot wonky formatting or a potential image issue easily, something that most casual readers probably won’t notice.

But looking at that email with a beginner’s mind, I attempt to put aside everything I “know” about what makes them good. I do my best to look at the content with fresh eyes. That’s when the nuances of the content often come through. Instead of thinking about action rates or how this item tested I ponder what the email is saying, and any reactions I have to what’s in front of me.

Approaching yoga, work, and life with a beginner’s mind is something I struggle with. I become so invested making things how I think they should be. But only when I’m able to step back from my own ideas and prejudices can new ideas emerge. That’s when the magic happens.

Melissa Ryan is Director of New Media and Communications at NOI
Photo from From Brian Metcalfe, via Creative Commons