Of all the people you interact with personally or admire from a distance, who truly challenges you to think?

I’m fortunate to be surrounded by a lot of people who challenge me on a daily basis.  They cause me to stretch my perspective and my outlook on life and the world around me.  Whether it’s through their wisdom or ignorance, kindness or bitterness, or successes or failures; I learn something about myself and other people all the time.

Sure, most of us prefer to surround ourselves with “like-minded” people.  It’s nice being around people who agree with our perspective and reassure us that our way is the right way.  But how does that help us reach beyond where we currently are?  Insulating ourselves in an echo chamber only amplifies our beliefs and blinds us from the world we need to interact with every day.

Ironically, the people who have really challenged my thinking in the past year happen to be on opposite ends of the “Faith spectrum”.  One is my Catholic priest and the other is an avowed atheist.  I respect them both as intellectuals and close friends.  And because of that, when they speak, I listen and take note.  Admittedly, I tend to agree with one much more than the other.  But they both cause me to reflect on my beliefs and move me out of my comfort zone.   In the end, that’s what causes me to grow.

Hopefully you can say that about some people in your life too.  Can anyone say that about you?!

 

Photo Credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/87934633@N08/8042538365″>The Thinker at Legion of Honor</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/”>(license)</a>