Leading Thoughts for May 28, 2026

IDEAS shared have the power to expand perspectives, change thinking, and move lives. Here are two ideas for the curious mind to engage with:

Psychiatrist Thomas Szasz on what is required to learn:

“Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one’s self-esteem. That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily; and why older persons, especially if vain or important, cannot learn at all.”

Source: Words to the Wise: A Medical-Philosophical Dictionary

II.

Simone Stolzoff on not knowing:

“When we experience uncertainty, it activates two parts of our brain simultaneously: the amygdala, which is responsible for alerting the brain to potential threats, and the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for analytical and deliberate thinking. The amygdala signals the body to release stress hormones, while the prefrontal cortex analyzes the situation to plan for a logical response. If the situation is particularly high stakes (for example, a looming layoff at work) or if you have a particularly low tolerance for uncertainty, it’s easy for the amygdala to hijack your brain’s response, prompting you to enter a fight, flight, or freeze mindset-whether or not there is actually a threat to your survival. Dr. Anne-Laure Le Cunff, a neuroscientist who helps leaders navigate uncertainty, says, ‘Uncertainty tolerance allows us to explore different options, rather than rushing to whatever is most reassuring.’”

Source: How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World that Demands Answers

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Look for these ideas every Thursday on the Leading Blog. Find more ideas on the LeadingThoughts index.

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