Weekly insights for building clarity in how you learn, think, and communicate.
He says he wants to be a thought leader — but does he even like thinking?
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Today’s Playbook is a rant. Because I am tired — tired of people claiming they want to be thought leaders, but not actually liking to think. Tired of hearing people say they want to create knowledge that impacts the world, yet they are not even curious about what is already out there — because learning is too much effort… 🙄 Then, when you invite them to challenge and improve their thinking skills, the answer is: “Why should I? We have AI now!” I mean.. what the hell are you doing, people? Let's be real: If someone doesn’t enjoy thinking and learning, they don't want to be a thought leader. They want the status of one. They want to have the reputation, without doing the work. It is just a branding thing. Because the reality is: A thought leader is someone who.. well.. leads us into a new way of thinking. They “lead” the thinking. That means they love to think, they do think, and they do it often. A real thought leader is someone who takes on the challenge of learning something difficult — something either overlooked or misunderstood — and does it independently. They don’t wait for someone to come and teach them. Instead, they go ahead, fall in love with what they learn, and then come back — to clear a path for others to follow. And that’s why they are leaders. Because they are leading the way through a previously unexplored path. And that’s why real thought leaders cannot afford to be lazy thinkers. Because thinking and reflecting are what they do. That’s why they must develop themselves, because there is no pre-made roadmap. There is no teacher giving them a curriculum. They are the ones building the path (and they need the skills to do that). Yes, they might use AI as a thinking partner, but they never (never!) outsource their thinking. Actually, rather than avoiding challenging their thinking, they seek out opportunities to stretch themselves. So, if you really want to be a thought leader and create impact through your knowledge, you must become an independent learner first. That means:
Being an independent learner isn’t an option. It is a must! Okay. I needed to get that off my chest. Thanks for reading. Talk soon! Until then, take care. Bianca |
From the Thinking Desk
Weekly insights for building clarity in how you learn, think, and communicate.
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