What’s the difference between an opinion and a conviction?
For many of us, the terms seem pretty interchangeable.
A closer look, however, reveals that an opinion is a view or judgement about something that may or may not be based in fact or knowledge.
A conviction is a firmly held belief that borders on certainty.
In either case, there remains the possibility that we could be wholly or partially wrong.
That can lead us into an inflated sense of our understanding that can quickly harden into arrogance, if we’re not careful.
Jim Ferrell of the Arbinger Institute says it like this:
“We tend to have convictions about many things and to have opinions about almost everything else. We blind ourselves to the enormity of our ignorance.”
Easy access to information on the internet can lead us to believe that we are experts on matters on which we’ve barely scratched the surface.
We confuse the easy answers we’ve looked up with the hard work of studying, reasoning and thinking things through before arriving at understanding.
But serious thinking is hard work.
And even when we do achieve a degree of understanding, it nearly always comes with a keen awareness of just how little we actually do know.
Truly wise people are generally humble because of this realization.
If we wish to fully realize our potential, we need to be aware of our ignorance and willing to learn, no matter how much we think we know.
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