At a biological level, our thoughts are millions of neurons firing off in our brain. These brain cells working together represent concepts, language, and knowledge that arise in our consciousness.

And the truth is there is a lot of scientific evidence showing the physical and mental benefits of mindfulness and why we should aim to be more present in our everyday lives.

Babies and young children are constantly experimenting and playing with their environments, absorbing new information, testing new ideas and hypotheses (with scientific-like curiosity), and thereby gaining knowledge about how their world really works.

In many ways, children are better, faster, and more flexible learners than adults – they have to be – so that when they grow up they can use this knowledge to produce results and survive in our society.

One key area of their development is between the ages of 13-18 months, when infants begin to develop empathy at an accelerated pace. This is when infants begin to discover that other humans think and feel differently than how we might think and feel. Gopnik shares an example of this by illustrating young children learning that people may prefer broccoli over goldfish crackers, even though the child tends to prefer the opposite.

At later ages, children begin engaging in remarkable problem-solving skills. Gopnik shares one video of a young child (at about 4 years old) trying to solve a task (getting 2 boxes to light up) by experimenting with different possibilities. After testing about 5 different hypothesis over a 2 minute span, the child discovers the solution to the problem.

In addition, by looking at a variety of different species, Gopnik found that the length of a species’ average childhood is often correlated with greater intelligence. This is strong evidence that the main purpose of childhood is for learning and preparation.

You can check out the full TED lecture here:

How to develop your own kind of “baby mind?”

At times, it can be useful to develop a kind of “baby mind” of our own. This is especially useful for keeping our minds open, flexible, creative, and effective at problem-solving.

Here are some suggestions for things we can do to help create a “baby mind” of our own:

• Engage in novel and unfamiliar environments, such as going on vacation somewhere you’ve never been before (especially at a place where you don’t know the language). This will get your brain to kick into a “learning mode” very similar to that of a baby mind.
• Embrace new interests, hobbies, and curiosities. Babies are constantly trying new things and exploring their environment in new ways. Try to do the same whenever you have the opportunity and time. Pick up a guitar or learn how to paint.
• Drink coffee. According to Gopnik, caffeine activates some of our “baby neurotransmitters.”
• Surround yourself with children more. Volunteer at a daycare or spend more time with your children at home. This is one of the best way to learn how a child’s mind really works.
• Practice Zen meditation. There is a concept known as “beginner’s mind” which is said to be an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, very similar to that of a child. Zen master Shunryu Suzuki wrote a great book on this mindset called Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind.

This is just one example of how our expectations (or lack of) can play a significant role in what we take away from our experiences.

Richard Bandler once said, “disappointment requires adequate planning.” And I think he touched on a really important truth about the downfalls of having certain expectations about life.

Because when you really think about it, we can only be disappointed or dissatisfied with something if we go into that experience with a prior judgment of what that experience “should” be like.

If we don’t expect to get anything for our birthday, but we end up getting a new car, we will usually be really happy with it regardless of what kind of car it is. But if we expect to get an expensive sports car, but instead get a minivan, we are probably going to be much less satisfied with the outcome.

When you go into some situations with no expectations, then it’s impossible for you to be let down. And, at best, you actually end up walking away pleasantly surprised.

But we shouldn’t get rid of ALL expectations.

I definitely can’t say that we should get rid of all expectations. Expectations can be good and useful, and it’s important to have some expectations before entering certain situations.

For example, if we expect there to be a final exam on a certain date, then we should plan on it by studying and making sure we are as prepared as possible.

Projecting into the future and determining what to expect can be an important tool in preparing for certain situations – just not all situations.

I just wanted to get this quick caveat out of the way before diving more into the “power of no expectations.”

The Benefits of No Expectations.

In many situations, going in with no expectations (or at least very low expectations), can greatly benefit us. Some of the things I find the “no expectations” mindset helps us cultivate include:

Open-mindedness

If we go into a situation, such as meeting a new person, with a certain prejudice on how that person should be (especially if it is based on stereotypes involving race, gender, religion, career, etc.), then we are already putting limitations on how we connect with that person.

However, if we decide to meet a new person without prior expectations or judgment, then we are much more open to receiving that person for who they really are, and therefore not letting our prior thoughts muddle the interaction.

From my experience, I’ve found the “no expectations” route is one of the best ways to meet new people.

Spontaneity

When we go into a situation with strict expectations and a steadfast guideline for how we expect a situation to unfold, then we greatly limit room for spontaneity. But if we go into a situation with no expectations, we give ourselves the opportunity to act in unexpected ways.

Letting go of expectations is a great way to open up the door to new opportunities. Often our assumptions can narrow our perspective and limit our choices. But when we get rid of these assumptions and unnecessary restrictions, a new perspective and a new flexibility in our thoughts and actions emerges.

Creativity and problem-solving

Just like “no expectations” can open the door to spontaneity, it can also aid in our creativity and problem-solving. This is because when we open up our narrow perspective, we give ourselves room to think of different potential solutions to problems that we may not have been able to think of without first dropping our previous expectations.

All revolutionary problem-solving requires some rebellion against the norms and standards that dictate the status quo.

But we can’t achieve this kind of progress until we first drop all of the unhelpful social norms, stereotypes, and expectations that have been embedded into our brains. In order to first do that, we have to be willing to suspend these unhelpful beliefs.

Questions.

• In what situations have “no expectations” helped you?
• What tips and strategies do you use to help minimize your expectations more effectively?

This is because opportunity is just as much based on our way of seeing as it is based on external circumstances.

Opportunities are a lot like self-fulfilling prophecies.

If we keep our eyes open for new ones, we are more likely to spot them when they actually pop up in our lives. But if we never look for opportunities, we often don’t see them – even when they are actually there waiting for us.

Of course, opportunity has a bit to do with luck and chance, but it also has a lot to do with our beliefs and perspective.

Here are some of the main beliefs and attitudes that correlate with opportunistic thinking:

Believe in free will.

Those who don’t believe they have any will-power or control over their life are going to automatically inhibit themselves from taking advantage of the opportunities that pass us by on a daily basis.

We must not view ourselves as puppets on strings, subject only to the whims of external forces. Instead, we are conscious thinkers and actors that participate with our environments.

Life is not just something that happens to us from the outside, it is also what we choose to make of it. We shouldn’t ignore this power and responsibility.

For more on my take on free will (a compatibilist approach): The Illusion of No Control.

Have an openness to possibility.

To be an opportunist, we can’t be stubborn in our thinking, and we can’t limit our beliefs and map of reality to a single narrow perspective.

Instead, we have to at least show openness to new perspectives, new ideas, and new beliefs that we may not have previously considered.

It’s important to have this sense of flexibility in our thinking, because it opens us to more creative ways of interpreting the information we get about our world, and how we can apply that information in new and unconventional ways.

Opportunistic thinking can often be enhanced when we allow ourselves to view the world a bit more differently than others.

Take quick action.

Sometimes we miss out on opportunities because we keep thinking there will be “something better around the corner.”

Opportunists avoid this trap by taking quick action.

An opportunist doesn’t spend too much time waiting, hoping, or praying for some ideal situation. They know that the quest for perfection often leads to procrastination.

So instead, they stay vigilant for the little (but imperfect) opportunities that pass us by on a daily basis, and they take advantage of these opportunities soon after they present themselves.

They know that if they hesitate too long, they may never get a second chance.

This can be just as true for filling out a job application as it is approaching a good-looking girl at a bar, or buying tickets for an upcoming concert, or following through on a business plan.

An opportunist knows that opportunities don’t sit there and wait for us – we have to take action while they are still available.

Be aware.

Our ability to discover new opportunities is intrinsically dependent on our awareness of our environment and our surroundings.

Techniques that help build awareness (mindfulness exercises like: 100 Breaths Meditation or STOP) can help us process information we get from our environment with a greater scope and clarity.

Having this increased awareness greatly increases our chances of discovering new opportunities. And it also improves skills in problem-solving and creativity. Be aware of your awareness, because it plays a huge role in how you process the world.

Learn optimism.

Optimism is a positive perspective we hold about life that encompasses beliefs and thought patterns like:

• “Good things will happen to me.”
• “I can overcome obstacles.”
• “Life and people are generally good.”
• “I am capable of achieving my values and goals.”

Interestingly, positive psychologists are discovering that our optimism is not something we are predestined or born with, but something we can learn and cultivate on our own. And by cultivating this positive attitude, we often invite good things to happen to us.

This doesn’t mean that a positive attitude alone can give you everything you want (see my post on Dangerous Trends in Personal Development to help avoid this unhealthy thinking). However, I do believe that positivity within reason can be a very constructive outlook on life.

Questions.

• What are some other tips and advice you may have for becoming a better opportunist?

Share them in the comment section below!