It’s the attitude which recognizes that even if you’re relatively sure of your belief or position, you could be wrong—an appetite for being shown that one is mistaken and a willingness, even hunger, to change one’s views as a result of new information or evidence.
In some ways, it’s the mindset of a scientist, who looks forward to their hypotheses being falsified, since that’s where real advancement of knowledge takes place.
As the 18th century British Empiricist philosopher, David Hume, reminds us, we can’t ever be certain of the predictions of inductive reasoning, but we can be sure when we’re shown a counterexample that disproves the principle upon which our predictions are based.
That’s why even the most settled scientific claims, like evolution, or plate tectonics, or even gravity, are called “theories.” If someone comes along and finds human skeletal remains in the same fossil strata as trilobites, then, all bets are off, Mr. Darwin, and we’ve got to revise our thinking.
Anyway, with that in mind, you make an effort to not be overly dogmatic. Sure, you’ve got an end in mind—even if it’s one that apparently was a destination not too long ago—but that doesn’t mean you’ll only accept one way to get there.
And if the route upwards includes a double-helix shaped corkscrew to the concrete front yard of some big-city condominiums, well then, all right.
And if it also involves a beach “fire” that’s pretty much just the ignition of lighter fluid from a squeeze bottle on top of some sticks, sure, that’s fine, too.
Not every rain shower has to be a downpour (thankfully); sometimes a little sprinkle is all that’s needed.
And if the “ride” is mostly hanging out in a beloved (albeit recently visited) watering hole and making new friends, that’s plenty, as well.