When Columbus landed on the Bahamas in 1492, he thought he’d reached India.
And I don’t blame him. Up until that point, all of the great thinkers, scholars, and scriptures had only pointed to the existence of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
However, what I found most surprising about this story is Columbus maintained the opinion that he’d found India until his death in 1506. He was convinced he knew the whole world, and could not accept that he’d discovered a new continent.
There are a number of lessons I took away from this:
- Just because we believe something, it doesn’t mean it’s true. If we want to hold an erroneous opinion all our lives, no one will stop us. Recognising the possibility that we’re wrong is a huge step toward developing humility and an open mind.
- The greatest thinkers and leaders were wrong in the past, and they’re likely to be wrong again in the future.
- We remember people for what they contribute, even if they set out to achieve something different. We remember Columbus for his discovery, what he took to the grave is irrelevant to us today.
H/T: Yuval Noah Harari and his delightful book Sapiens for this anecdote.