Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind

Recently, I heard designer Stephen Hay talk about the concept Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind.

The idea resonated with me. Now, I don’t mean to delve into Buddhist teachings. I’m by no means an expert on that. What I’d like to broach is the more practical implications of this phrase – or at least one possible interpretation thereof.

Maintaining a beginner’s mind that’s curious to learn, try and fail keeps you from getting into a rut. It means being open-minded, avoiding the well-trodden path.

Such an attitude in my opinion is extremely helpful when trying to find a solution to a problem. Always attempting to start with a clean slate helps avoiding the ‘If all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.’ trap. Furthermore, a beginner’s mind approach allows for creative, novel solutions to seemingly well-known problems.