Dear Younger Version of Me: You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
If I could sit down with that younger version of myself, I’d tell him:
You don’t know what you don’t know. Be okay with that.
When I was in my twenties, I had more confidence than experience. I had ideas about leadership, marriage, and life. Some were good. Others needed a few years – and a few mistakes – to mature.
You don’t have to have an answer every time someone asks a question. It’s okay to say, I don’t know, but I’ll find out. That’s better than pretending you know something you haven’t yet learned.
Listen to people who have been where you haven’t. Ask questions before deciding their way is wrong. You may eventually change how things are done – and I hope you do where change is needed, but first understand what you’re changing and why.
And don’t be afraid to make a mistake. Own it. Learn from it. Ask for help when you need it. That’s how experience is gained.
Being young isn’t a liability.
You bring energy, courage, and ideas the rest of us need. But those gifts grow stronger when you’re willing to learn from someone else’s experience.
You don’t need to pretend you know everything to make a difference. Stay teachable. Keep growing.
And give God room to show you what you can’t see yet.
