Yesterday, I learned a bit more from the Original Series Tell a Great Story that Michael Lewis has on Masterclass. I was struck by the following quote that he shared.
The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already, but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already.
— Leo Tolstoy
While I’ve always believed in the value of life-long learning, sometimes I resist learning about certain things. I’ve thought, “I already know enough about this”. And I’m probably wrong when it happens.
Resisting learning is different from skipping learning. There are topics I don’t care about very much. I’m never going to become an expert at underwater basket weaving. I’m okay with that.
There are other topics, however, that I tend to find engaging. For example, I want to know more about marketing. Unfortunately, I catch myself skimming articles looking for something new. If I run into the same old advice, I don’t absorb it — even though I know I never really got it in the first place. Because if I had, I wouldn’t struggle so much with marketing my stuff.
Part of what struck me about Leo Tolstoy’s quote is how it reminds me of a quote from Marcel Proust that has been meaningful to me for many years.
The facts of life do not penetrate to the sphere in which our beliefs are cherished; they did not engender those beliefs, and they are powerless to destroy them…
Marcel Proust, A la researche du temps perdu
Regarding marketing, I have a stubborn belief that people should notice the good stuff without shoving it in their faces. I’m wrong about this. Completely wrong. That’s not how the world works.
It doesn’t help that the movie Field of Dreams insists, “If you build it, he will come.” Wrong again. But it speaks to the part of me that wants to believe that creating stuff is more important than selling stuff.
Be curious. Especially when you think you already know enough. Especially when you feel one of your beliefs is being threatened.
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