Note: This article is based on the work of Darius Foroux, in which he tells us about the need to acknowledge our lack of knowledge and not to claim perfection, in addition to focusing on achievements instead of asking too many questions.
I've searched for the reason that drove me to this a lot, and the closest I could get is my desire just to try most things and get out of my comfort zone to achieve and know what happens next, which is actually an honest answer.
I am not at all afraid to say that I don't know the answer when people ask me a question, while I think that people often feel the urge to give answers when asked about something, which is one of the reasons why there is so much rubbish and nonsense in this world. People make up the strangest answers and things because they feel they will look stupid if they don't. We have an innate need to speak up, even when we should be silent instead.
There is nothing wrong with admitting not knowing
We do not wish to appear bad; we naturally like to please and make others happy. So, the answer of not knowing is not enough for the person asking you questions, and I know that because I have been in that situation many times.
While I worked for a company in the past, the company's managers always preferred to ask about the reasons behind things. These questions were often raised when someone made a mistake, or things went wrong, so often the answer of not knowing would not be sufficient or satisfactory here, and I don't know why it's difficult to accept the idea of things sometimes happening simply and without any justifications or motives and to be convinced of that, in addition to the fact that we are just human beings, and do not have answers to everything in this world.
Let's take scientists, for example. We look at them as if they were magical beings who should explain everything to us, but when you think carefully and look closely, you will find that most questions are unanswered, and it is not because we do not care, but rather, it is often quite the opposite.
I really like to know everything about the universe, for example, and I have a lot of questions about it. I want to know whether it is finite and limited and how to look beyond something we cannot see if the universe is finite. We can't just get on a spaceship and go to the other end of the universe.
Let's take psychology as another example. Someone may ask about the secret of happiness, and here I challenge you to find one solution or answer that suits all cases.
So, as you can see, there is no way to answer the previous questions, and the matter is entirely similar to our daily life, as most matters and questions remain without solutions or answers, and examples of these matters or questions include the following:
- Why did you get angry?
- Why did you choose a specific field or industry to work in?
- Why did you decide to move?
- What made you forget to send the e-mail?
"I don't know" answer
I think that a few lines from the novel by the American writer "Ernest Hemingway" called A Farewell to Arms express this idea and explain it well, and I will mention in the following a conversation between the hero of that novel called "Frederick Henry" an American who works as an ambulance driver for the Italian Army during World War I - an English nurse he meets, Catherine Barkley. Their first meeting goes as follows:
- Nurse Barclay: "How are you? You're not Italian, are you?"
- "Henry": "No, I'm not Italian."
- Nurse Barclay: "Working in the Italian army is strange."
- "Henry": "I don't really work in the army. I only drive an ambulance."
- Nurse "Barclay": "What a really strange thing, why did you choose that?"
- "Henry": "I don't know because there is not always an explanation for everything."
- Nurse Barclay: "Really? I was raised to believe that there is an answer and a reason for everything in this world."
- “Henry”: “It's very nice.”
It is drilled into most of us that there should always be an explanation for everything that happens in our lives, our work, our relationships, our profession, etc. I warn you that you will find nothing but frustration and hindrance if you continue to seek justification and explanation for everything, and by that, I do not mean curiosity because it is a very good thing. I'm talking about being obsessed with things to which it's not important whether you know the answer or not.
What to do right
We have to accept that we don't have answers for everything, and it's more difficult than it seems in reality because we are all control freaks, in addition to our common hatred of lack of self-confidence, and this also applies to people who say they are risk-takers and love adventures.
In conclusion
You must remain cautious and try to do useful things instead of constantly questioning everything, even the unimportant ones. You must also follow your intuition and listen to the voice of your heart and feelings instead of trying to justify everything around you with your logical thinking.
Because you will never get any result without acting and taking action, whether you inquire about things or not. Therefore, perhaps you should act and accomplish instead of asking too many questions.
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