The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence.” – Albert Einstein 

My world has just been turned upside down!

After 47 years of dutiful toothbrushing, I have discovered that I have been doing it wrong…

That long-held belief that brushing your teeth twice a day is non-negotiable is not entirely true. As reported by the BBC this week, experts say the real key is quality, not quantity.

“If you can find time, then yes, twice a day,” says Dr Praveen Sharma from the School of Dentistry at the University of Birmingham. “But it’s better to do it once a day well than twice quickly.”

If you are brushing only once, he recommends doing it in the evening. And don’t forget to floss. No, not that kind, although doing the floss whilst flossing would be mighty impressive!

It does make sense when you think about it. Still, hearing that the greatest dental commandment of all time has been revised feels oddly unsettling. If that’s up for debate, what other assumptions have we been blindly following without question?

It got me thinking about other long-held “truths” that turned out to be anything but…

Let’s start with one of the oldest. Medieval people thought the Earth was flat. Actually, educated people in the Middle Ages already knew it was round; the flat Earth myth was popularised later. And if there was any doubt, I have seen enough flight paths over the years to prove it.

Then there’s the classic carrots help you see in the dark. Despite my boyhood desire to gain night vision powers, I can confirm that this beloved orange vegetable will not turn you into a superhero. The myth, it turns out, was born from clever WWII propaganda to disguise radar technology, and then kept alive by parents everywhere in a desperate attempt to get their little darlings to eat their veggies…

And how many of us still believe that goldfish have a 3-second memory? Sorry to burst that bubble, but scientific studies show goldfish can actually remember things for months. Humans, on the other hand…

On that subject, there is a popular belief that we only use 10% of our brains. This is a factually incorrect (though I guess it depends on who you’re talking about!) The truth is that we actually use almost all parts of our brains, just not all at once.

And finally, I’m sure we’ve all heard that the Great Wall of China is visible from space. Except it’s not. The wall is too narrow and blends in with the surrounding terrain, making it difficult to see even from low Earth orbit.

Of course, there are plenty of myths that apply in the business world too. Like “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” Complete and utter nonsense! Whilst comfortable, that kind of thinking can quietly stifle innovation and rarely drives progress. As Henry Ford famously said, “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got.”

At ASEL, we are guided by facts, not folklore. We listen to the data, question assumptions, and are not afraid to change course if or when the evidence shows a better way forward. It is this adaptability and willingness to challenge ourselves that allow us to deploy resources in the right place at the right time and, in doing so, ensure that our retail clients get maximum value from their budgets.

So next time you find yourself falling into old habits, ask yourself, “Is this still the best way or just the way we’ve always done it?” You never know, that small act of curiosity could be the start of something brilliant. After all, curiosity is where it all begins.

I’ve always been fascinated by how naturally curious children are. When my daughter Martha was younger, she had an endless stream of questions about, well, everything. Why is the sky blue? How do birds know where to fly? Do dogs have dreams? I’ll admit, there were times when the questions came faster than I could answer them, and it could be mildly exhausting. But looking back, I realise how important that instinct is. To keep asking. To keep challenging. And to never stop wondering why.

Somewhere along the way, many of us lose that habit and end up trading curiosity for efficiency. But progress, in business and in our personal lives, depends on our willingness to stay inquisitive.

It was the late American comedian and social critic, George Carlin, who famously said, “Don’t just teach your children to read. Teach them to question what they read. Teach them to question everything.” It’s something I’ve come to see not just as good parenting advice, but as good leadership too.