“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” ― Mark Twain

“In many cases, you’ll find the only thing preventing you from learning is your ego. No one enjoys feeling foolish, but attempting something new requires that you climb down from your perch and struggle as a beginner. You must ask questions that reveal your ignorance or attempt skills that make you look uncoordinated. Learning demands the willingness to live in a brief state of discomfort. You must believe that looking like a fool for an hour will not ruin your reputation for life.” — James Clear


Enjoy being wrong or looking/sounding “stupid” in a public setting

Embrace the embarrassment of feeling like a beginner

Approach everything with a beginner’s mind

Every expert started out as a beginner.

歸零 = 回歸初心 (Shoshin)

「20 年工作經驗」might be「1 年工作經驗重複 20 次」…

Naivety (= naiveness = naïveté)

  • The state of being naive
  • Refers to an apparent or actual lack of experience and sophistication

The Empty Cup Mentality

A long time ago, there was a wise Zen master. People from distant places would come to seek his guidance, hoping to learn the path to enlightenment.

One day, a scholar arrived, eager for advice. “I wish to learn about Zen,” he told the master.

However, the scholar couldn’t stop talking about his own thoughts and knowledge. He kept interrupting the master, sharing his own ideas and not paying attention to what the master had to say. The master remained calm and suggested they have tea.

The master began pouring tea into the scholar’s cup. As the cup filled, the master continued pouring, causing the tea to spill onto the table, the floor, and finally onto the scholar’s clothing. Shocked, the scholar exclaimed, “Stop! The cup is overflowing! It can’t hold any more.”

The master smiled and said, “Just like this cup, you are filled with your own thoughts. There’s no room for anything new. Come back when your cup is empty.”


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