Today I said, “I don’t know.”

It was in a context where I valued the opinions of those around me, wanting them to think highly of me.

However, topics arose that I didn’t know much about and wanted additional information. So I simply said, “I don’t know what ___ means, could you explain it?” I could have phrased my ignorance in a more roundabout way to disguise it, however, it felt good to be straightforward.

When I said “I don’t know” it not only a) gave the person asked an opportunity to teach which can be something others really enjoy but b) an unintended benefit for those around to also learn something.

In the pursuit of knowledge, it is good to acknowledge when you don’t know something. But even better is to practice admitting that you don’t know sometimes.

Acknowledging your lack of knowledge does not always equate to a poor opinion of you held by others – if it ismaybe reconsider the value of those opinions.

For to claim knowledge of many things is to prove yourself to be a fool in the long run. Although I try to be aware of my ignorance it’s a much greater abyss than I’m even aware of. If there is anything I know to be certain it’s that there will always be more that I do not know than I do know.

If you can frequently and openly acknowledge your gaps of knowledge, you will gather more knowledge. To me, that is a much more valuable goal to strive for.

If there is no acknowledgment of loss there is no ability to realize that there’s ability to improve. Openly and frequently acknowledge that you don’t know.