Charles Darwin was famously not a “genius” in the traditional sense; he wasn’t particularly fast or good at math. Instead, his success came from a relentless devotion to truth and a specific mental model: his “Golden Rule”.
Darwin’s rule was simple: whenever he encountered a fact or thought that contradicted his theories, he wrote it down immediately. He realized that the human mind instinctively “forgets” or ignores unfavorable information to protect the ego—a trap known as confirmation bias. By giving his fullest attention to opposing ideas, Darwin remained “intellectually honest”.
To “Do It Like Darwin” requires intellectual humility—holding “strong opinions but held lightly”. Instead of growing defensive when someone disagrees with you, you should become skeptical of yourself. Ask: “What potential errors could I have made? Why is this conflicting view coming from this source?”. By treating all evidence with the same standards of reliability and following the truth wherever it points, you ensure your conclusions are rooted in reality rather than comfortable delusions.