The Beauty in Being Naive

I think there is an elegance to being removed from opinion or bias. Too often we tend to shake our heads at the other and think, They just don’t know…

This clouds our way of thinking, and in some instances blocks our ability to think beyond our norms. I ask myself every day, with every decision, what is driving this decision? Is is it previous experience? Is it my curiosity of the outcome? Is it my own stubbornness to be right or wrong? Yes, you can be stubborn in wanting to be wrong.

What exactly does it mean to be Naive?

1. having or showing a lack of experience, judgment, or information; credulous. 2. having or marked by a simple, unaffectedly direct style reflecting little or no formal training or technique

Dictionary.com

Whatever it is, I’m unclear, but I do know that there is a beauty to being naive.

I watch as my son uncaringly chooses what to wear, or as he makes decisions – whether it be to jump off the couch or cross the street. Granted, some more dangerous than others, and yet there is a certain level of freedom associated with this naiveness.

I can’t help but think the same applies in business.

A new year is upon us, and yet we’re in the same cycle as every year before.

Everyone is a buzz, the latest trends, the latest tech, latest predictions. Everyone scrambling for the latests insights. [Apple just got 12 new patents, dated back to 2012, that will apparently crush GoPro.](http://mashable.com/2015/01/13/gopro-stock-apple-patent/) You’ve got [Google making huge plays with the release of their Domain service](http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/13/google-domains-launches-to-all-in-u-s-with-support-for-blogger-integration-templates-and-more-domain-endings/), threatening the livelihood of organizations like Automatic and GoDaddy, or so they say. What it comes down to is the same ole same ole..

I look at these events and wonder of the lasting impacts they have on the space we know today. The affects won’t be immediate, but over time they will be felt. Then again, the same could have been said for Google Plus when it came out and it’s affects on Facebook, yet that never really materialized, did it? More importantly, I look at these events and think, how will they impact my way of thinking? 5 years from now, 2 years from now, when making a strategic decision will these events way on a Yes or No decision because of possibilities in a space?

It’s hard to lift your head out of the sand sometimes. When you do it’s hard not to be consumed by the surrounding noise. It’s extremely challenging not to let those insights and experiences influence your way of thinking. It’s easy to be consumed by the [Power of Fear](http://chrislema.com/power-of-fear/).

I know as entrepreneurs we all strive for knowledge, we’re all looking for that solution we can replicate – that sure win. Do you go upmarket? Do you change pricing? Do you build partnerships? Do you grow? Do you pivot? Naturally, there is a guide to this craziness?

Unfortunately though, there is not.

If there is one thing I have learned is to enjoy the bliss that is naiveness. There is obviously a lot you can learn from others experiences, but there is a lot you can learn from charting your own path as well. Acknowledge other’s insights, and yet forge your own path.

It’s ok not to know.

Here is a small tip, regardless of what everyone else says, no one really knows: It’s all just BS, and one giant experiment for the other person.