I came across this quote by Adam Grant,

“We shouldn’t see our opinions as cherished possessions. We should treat them like everyday clothes.

Look at the views in your closet that were trendy once. Discard the ones that look silly to you now.

Wear the ideas that fit you today. Be ready to outgrow some of them tomorrow.”

I like the idea that we reflect and reconsider our opinions, ideas, and values… not getting stuck, and not growing. The challenge of ideas like this is that some things come into fashion that shouldn’t. Sometimes it is far more valuable to buck the current fashionable ideas and to wear your opinions no matter how unfashionable they may be at the time.

The question being danced around is: Is this just trendy or is it timeless?

Freedom, democracy, equity, fairness, justice, compassion… these are never out of style, even if not trendy at the time. Sure we need to, “Wear the ideas that fit you today. Be ready to outgrow some of them tomorrow.” But some ideas transcend the fashions of the time. And while these ideas are timeless, there are times where wearing them can be unfashionable.

So, while I agree with Adam Grant, don’t be afraid to be unfashionable for the right reasons.