The Power of Unlearning with Dr. Eric Bean

Throughout our lives, we're bound to learn and propagate the wrong ideas and beliefs—some even end up harmful to ourselves and others. While humans are an adaptable species, changing our mindset is difficult. How can you fill a cup that’s already full? We have to unlearn.  

Unlearning is a powerful and often overlooked concept in personal and professional growth. It is the process of intentionally letting go of knowledge, beliefs, or behaviors that are harmful or obsolete to make room for new perspectives and development.  

The ability to unlearn is crucial in a world that constantly changes, allowing individuals and organizations to adapt, innovate, grow, and stay relevant. However, unlearning is not easy—it can be challenging to let go of our established, preconceived ideas and step out of our comfort zone.  

By actively engaging in the process of unlearning, we can help open ourselves to new knowledge and growth. Let’s discuss! 

Key Points: 

1. The importance of unlearning. 
2. The three types of unlearning: routine unlearning or fading, wiping, and deep unlearning 
3. The process of unlearning: building awareness, and making space for new ideas 

Episode Highlights 

• [00:00] Introduction to the episode 
• [01:13] The story of the Zen master and the cup of tea 
• [02:46] Unlearning: how to empty your cup 
• [04:14] The first type of unlearning: routine unlearning or fading 
• [05:06] The second type of unlearning: wiping 
• [06:29] The third type of unlearning: deep unlearning 
• [07:50] The first step in unlearning: building awareness of personal biases 
• [10:18] The second step in unlearning: making space for new ideas 
• [11:41] Conclusion 

Resources 

• “Unlearning in Healthcare” by Rushmer and Davies: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1765805/