Understand You Don’t Understand

A third grade math teacher understands that his students do not understand complex long division of the first day of school. This knowledge helps the teacher and student succeed.

A football coach understands that his rookie quarterback does not understand the play book on the first day of training camp. Without this awareness the coach and player would fail.

Taylor Swift understands that not every music listener will understand her hit songs. This understanding allows her to tune out the critics.

It is not difficult to look and see what others do not understand. We see their past experience and we are able to recognize what they know and what they don’t know.

It is easy to see it in others, but how many of us understand what we do not understand?

We think we need to know everything and we hate to admit that we do not know something. We get in trouble when we do not understand that we do not understand.

When I started writing a book a few years ago, I didn’t understand what it took to publish a book. It took me quite a while to admit that. Only when I fully understood that I was lost, was I able to look for help.

We are powerless if we think we already know everything. A coach or a teacher is more powerful with the knowledge that his player or student needs teaching. This allows the coach/teacher to tailor a program to get the pupil on the right track.

The same goes for us when we are both the coach and the player.

It is okay to not understand. We aren’t experts on day one. Understanding that we don’t understand is the first step on the road to improvement.