On this day 3 years ago we lost my good friend and fellow Shivworks Collective member, William Aprill. William was many things to many people. That was one of his strengths. He could be there for people in their most challenging moments.
One of my favorite memories of William is a thought exercise we would play when we had “down” time.
Several years ago William and I were talking about deeply held beliefs. William said, I have a challenge for you. Take one of your most deeply held beliefs and dismantle it. Tell me every way it could be wrong. We spent the next few hours engaged in this exercise.
Over the years this became a thought exercise we would regularly engage in, particularly while sitting in airports. Take something you absolutely believe to be true and burn it to the ground. (Fairly certain there are a number of people in airports that thought they were witnessing a domestic dispute.)
Over time I’ve realized there are two outcomes. One, I strengthen my belief or at least the argument for it because now I know almost every way it can be taken apart. Two, I change my belief because I now realize it should be changed.
This is a thought exercise I’ve continued to this day and it still challenges me. Thanks William.
