Unlock Radical Innovation with a Beginner’s Mind

Three millennia ago, players of Go faced what seemed impossible: the number of possible board configurations outstripped the atoms in the universe. Enter AlphaGo—a machine taught not by human experts but by playing itself. When it reached move 37 against a grandmaster, it made a play no human had ever dared. Experts thought it a mistake. Instead, it was the first time Go had been played with a truly blank slate—no inherited biases or assumptions. The move reshaped the game forever.

This phenomenon illustrates “beginner’s mind,” or shoshin in Zen Buddhism—approaching each moment without the clutter of past knowledge. Psychological studies reveal that when experts silence preconceptions, they can leap to solutions novices might see more naturally. They bypass familiar patterns and unlock previously hidden pathways to creativity.

By unlearning why things ‘should’ work, we let truly novel ideas in. In art, science, or daily life, this radical openness can be the key to breakthroughs that no amount of training alone can yield.

First, choose a routine activity and write down three assumptions you take for granted. Then pick one to flip—do the exact opposite format or sequence and notice what feels new. Finally, journal how the beginner’s stance shifted your view and what fresh ideas emerged. Try it tomorrow.