" What do you do for your next 30 day challenge? "
" I will keep my mind open for 30 straight days!"
" How open?"
" Enter!"

Why would we want to keep our minds open? All kinds of unwanted things might enter . . .
When we think what it means when minds are closed, we might find lots of motivation.

Usually we connect opinions and prejudices to a closed mind: e.g. through opinions, assumptions, prejudices, ignorance.

What do they have in common?

Opinions are cheap, anybody can have an opinion. Opinions are formed by assumptions that may stem from people, media or older opinions which seem to give it validity. The mind is quickly closing down when you form a prejudice based on opinions and assumptions. Prejudices then constitute ignorance. And if voiced out loud you have arrogance, the big brother of ignorance.

Alltogether those elements are never clouded by experiences. They are limited personal views supported by little or no first hand experience or evidence. In line with that is the often derogatory content.

It feels so good to belong to a likeminded group, even if its a crowd of ignorants.

The motivation for sounding out loud our ignorance is self-important pretension and a feeling of superiority, on a social level it is to fit in and to belong. It feels so good to belong to a likeminded group, even if its a crowd of ignorants. Maybe especially then: why would one want to feel superior if you didn't feel inferior in the first place?  

Experiences on the other hand keep the mind open, inspire questions, new views. Experiences require acting and risktaking. They are motivated by questions, doubts and interest, and their outcome is not decided yet.  They may cost you time and energy and destroy all your former beliefs. But they provide you with new insights about your quest, yourself and your environment. They are personal, you have to do them without a guarantee of confirmation through others. Still there is a chance to meet a fellow traveller on this road less travelled.

Experiences are challenging. They are motivated by growing in one way or another.  And you have to dare something. The fresh breeze of adventure is wafting through them.

Opinions and prejudices die out through experiencing. Why would you want to live in a limiting courtyard if a growing world of possibilities is expanding in front of you?

So, what'ts your next challenge?