This is something most people want to avoid. This is basically why so many awesome ideas die. People cannot stand the fact they might be wrong. They just don’t, especially when they strongly believe in a certain idea.
This is related to the fact that an idea or an opinion is strongly connected to the self, the ego and anything that threatens the idea, it threatens the self (or at least, that’s what people feel).
This post comes from my own recent experience. I’ve assisted one of my managers trying desperately to prove why everybody else is wrong and why he is right. When confronted, even with strong evidence, he gets super-mad and he starts to yell because he has no logical arguments. Some people are just not able to admit when they’re wrong and that’s what keeps them from evolving.
Where perfection exists, evolution has done its job. However, we all know that there is no such thing as perfection, and thank God for that! Perfection is boring, without lessons and without excitement.
For me, being wrong is both a punch in the stomach and a kick in the ass. While I suffer, I see there is an opportunity for growth. Yes, it is hard to admit that I’m wrong because I feel hurt and I’m ashamed of myself, but still… is less boring than being right all the time.
What is your experience with people that hate being wrong?