What’s A Contrarian Mindset; Why You Should Have One (2024)

FAQs

What’s A Contrarian Mindset; Why You Should Have One? ›

A contrarian doesn't take an opposing stand just for the sake of it…they do so because they see an opposing viewpoint that will lead to more favorable outcomes -- a better future. Contrarians are the “instigators” of innovation. They're not beholden to conventional wisdom.

It means challenging the status quo and questioning widely accepted truths. It's about seeing opportunities where others see none and taking risks when others choose safety. The contrarian mindset is not about being different for the sake of being different.

What drives contrarians to go against the grain so resolutely? Some are skeptics who have been burned by conventional ideas, such as the child of divorce who swears off marriage for life. Others use defiance to get attention. But many are looking to establish their own identities as distinct from a larger group.

Contrarians may be seen as courageous, unconventional, counterintuitive thinkers, able to withstand herding pressures and even abuse from crowd-following conformists. Others may see them as maverick, out-of-touch, denialists 'living on another planet' and unable to see the obvious.

A contrarian is someone who does not necessarily conform but rather is inclined to do precisely the opposite of what everyone else is doing. The term usually refers to a particular style of investing. The contrarian investor sells what everyone else is buying and buys what everyone else is selling.

adjective. /kənˈtrer.i.ən/ uk. /kənˈtreə.ri.ən/ disagreed with by most people, or liking to express opinions that most people disagree with: Among academics in the field, she takes a contrarian view.

This can be both a positive and negative label. The positive is that, sometimes, the contrarian view turns out to be correct. And, even when the future is unknown, the debate unsettled, a contrarian view serves to counter soft consensus thinking.

With the contrarian attitude in place, they reason that conformity or coordination equals the loss of power. They want personal freedom (which makes sense) without relational responsibility (which does not make sense), and any suggestion to the contrary brings out a combative attitude.

“A contrarian isn't one who always objects — that's a conformist of a different sort. A contrarian reasons independently, from the ground up, and resists pressure to conform.”

“Ask them to respect how you feel by not taking such a confrontational approach when talking to you. And if there are certain topics that are especially difficult, such as politics, then call them out in particular and ask that they avoid them when talking with you.”

What is a contrary person like? ›

The character trait Contrary refers to a person who is always inclined to do the opposite of what is expected or desired. Such a person may have a tendency to disagree with others and to challenge established norms and beliefs.

A contrarian doesn't take an opposing stand just for the sake of it…they do so because they see an opposing viewpoint that will lead to more favorable outcomes -- a better future. Contrarians are the “instigators” of innovation. They're not beholden to conventional wisdom.

The term “Dark Triad” refers to a trio of negative personality traits—narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy—which share some common malevolent features. The construct was coined by researchers Delroy L. Paulhus and Kevin M. Williams in 2002.

Dark personalities negatively impact teams and organizational outcomes. Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy dark personality types make up the Dark Triad. Narcissism is the dominant predictor of counterproductive workplace behavior among the dark triad personality types.

a person who takes an opposing view, especially one who rejects the majority opinion, as in economic matters.

The best way to do that is to jump right into a pool of people who believe the exact opposite of what you do. Immerse yourself in their world: what they read, what they listen to, how they talk. It's how you learn why another reasonable person might disagree with you. It's also how you can steel man opposing arguments.

The most contrarian thing of all is not to oppose the crowd but to think for yourself. In a nutshell, when everyone learns the same lessons, applying them to the point of religious devotion, there can be an opportunity in the opposite. If everyone is thinking the same thing, no one is really thinking.

There are various synonyms for contrarianism, some positive, some neutral, some distinctly negative. Contrarians may be seen as courageous, unconventional, counterintuitive thinkers, able to withstand herding pressures and even abuse from crowd-following conformists… Some rejoice in the title while others shun it.

While dealing with each contrarian situation is different, start by clarifying the appropriate behavior that was committed to. This can come from Partnership agreements, value statements, or any other document that outlines expected behaviour. Next, two Partners should have a private conversation with the contrarian.

How do you deal with a contrary person? ›

Taking a neutral position is fine. The key is for them to not view you as being against them. Earn their trust and respect and they'll treat you better than they do many other people. And, when you do choose to take a contrary position, their opinion of you will soften their attack.

Britannica Dictionary definition of CONTRARIAN. [count] : a person who takes an opposite or different position or attitude from other people. As an investor, he's a contrarian, preferring to buy stocks when most people are selling.

A contrarian is a person who deliberately behaves in a way that is different from the people around them. He is by nature a contrarian.

Examples of contrarian in a Sentence

As an investor, he's a contrarian, preferring to buy stocks when most people are selling. These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contrarian.

a person who takes an opposing view, especially one who rejects the majority opinion, as in economic matters.