There's this concept "a beginner's mindset". AFAIK it comes from Zen Buddhism. It's the idea that you should approach each task, activity, or the world in general with the mind of a beginner: being open to learning, examining, re-thinking. With being okay to admit that you're wrong or stupid or naive. Beginners have no problem feeling this way. Experts do.
When I first heard this my response was "Ya okay that makes sense". Maybe even "Oh that sounds important". But I didn't think much more about it. I was already approaching the world that way, of course, right?
The problem, I think, is that I didn't give it nearly enough weight. I thought about it, but didn't THINK about it, you know? But this concept is HEAVY. This is possibly the most important thing I have ever thought about. Instead of "oh I should have a beginner's mind, sure thing' I wish my response was — I would like my response going forward to be — "HOLY DAMN YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE A BEGINNERS MIND CHARLES THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT FOCUS ON THIS AND NOTHING ELSE".
The moment I stop having a beginner's mind, the moment I think "I'm good at X" or "I'm doing so well" or "I've got it all figured out" or "I'm smart", THAT is the moment that I stop learning. That's the moment I stop growing. That's the moment I die.^1