The Value of Not Knowing
Throughout our lives we’re rewarded for what we know.
From early childhood as well-meaning parents applaud our ability to recall information, through our years in school as we’re tested on our knowledge, and advance when we prove we’ve acquired it.
It doesn’t stop when we transition into our careers. We receive kudos for assessing and analyzing information, for having good answers and being reliable sources of information. Knowledge is power, it’s valuable capital. We fear being seen as incompetent or uninformed. We avoid asking questions to avoid others thinking we lack knowledge.
Yet knowing is an obstacle to our ability to solve complex problems, to learn, and to grow. When we’re in a state of knowing, we base our actions on assumptions, beliefs, and blind spots, not facts. We limit our ability to see new ideas and approaches. We comfort ourselves in our sense of certainty, yet we often isolate ourselves as we’re less likely to engage others, solicit input, and foster collaboration.
Shifting to a state of what social scientists refer to as intellectual humility allows us to be curious, creative, open to different perspectives, and to new ideas. Intellectual humility is a state of not knowing, of being willing to challenge our assumptions and beliefs, and recognize that we may be wrong.
Intellectual humility not only supports our problem-solving ability, it improves our wellbeing, increases our tolerance for other perspectives, and fuels our curiosity and creativity. When we confidently and openly admit we don’t know, we build trust and foster stronger and deeper connections with others. As we grow more comfortable with not knowing and a recognition that we may be wrong, we’re more likely to seek out opportunities to learn and less likely to be fooled by misinformation.
We can cultivate intellectual humility with some simple actions:
Intentionally challenge your assumptions: We may assume that we’re operating on facts when instead we’re relying on our assumptions. We can challenge those assumptions by asking others, “what am I missing?” or “what else might be true?” You can also adopt a daily or weekly routine, asking yourself, “what may I have been wrong about today (or this week)?”
Accept uncertainty: Many of us hold tight to our beliefs to feel more secure in an uncertain world. Yet, life is constant change, and we create our own suffering when we operate under the illusion of certainty. We find peace when we open ourselves up to accepting uncertainty, and we’re encouraged to explore, discover, and learn as we acknowledge the unknown.
Experiment and embrace failure: It’s hard to admit when we’re wrong, yet being wrong, failing, is nearly unavoidable if we’re doing hard things. Adopting an experimentation mindset can allow us to recognize and embrace our failures as a way to learn. When we see we’re wrong, we have the opportunity to stop, debrief, and try a different approach.
Nurture the curious and creative side of your brain: Activating the right brain can lead to increased creativity, intuition, and imaginative thinking, potentially boosting innovation and artistic expression. It can also enhance spatial reasoning, non-verbal communication, and the ability to see the bigger picture. Additionally, stimulating the right brain may foster a more holistic and intuitive approach to problem-solving and decision-making. We activate our right brain when we engage with art and music, move our bodies, spend time in nature, contemplate big ideas, or just let go and play.
As always, it helps to give ourselves grace as we work to make these shifts.
By embracing not knowing we’ll unleash our imaginations, find peace of mind, and be better equipped to overcome the challenges we face in our organizations, our communities, and ourselves.