Your cart is currently empty!
I Know that I Don’t Know
We were taught that growth involved getting a promotion and a raise so that you could afford to buy your own home. Our milestones of progress are all outward-facing objects, leaving life to be much desired. I’ve realized that growth has nothing to do with the tax bracket but my ability to learn and enhance my perspective. My perspective is the only thing worth growing. Every other form of growth seems to wither away. The most profound thing I can learn is how much I don’t know. This idea is my source of humility. I’ve learned that my judgments about people and situations come from a lack of knowledge, but I believe or was taught to believe that my knowledge is infallible. I would be more accurate in relaying what I don’t know instead of perceiving that I do.
Knowledge has its limitations. I can’t know everything, even if I’m expected to. The universe is too vast to create an objective statement about anything. Everything is an opinion, yet we treat it as a fact. Objectivity doesn’t exist within a single statement but combines everything that is and will be. Nothing I can say is 100% true because I don’t know everything. So, I must refrain from judgment because what I perceive is untrue. I’m only seeing a piece of the whole.
Where Does Judgment Come From?
Judgment doesn’t stem from a place of hate but ignorance. Judgment is trying to make a complete sentence when all I have is the subject. I tend to judge others without knowing their full story. It’s quite perplexing that I lean towards judgment, not curiosity. I hope that when I accuse someone of being something, it becomes a trigger to understand that I don’t know everything about this person, so my goal is to learn rather than demean. It matters not what they do. A person who seems distant may be struggling with other relationships, constantly making mistakes may be learning something they’ve yet to do, and a person with different beliefs has lived a different experience than me. The truth is even if this is speculation. I don’t know.
Because I don’t know, I’m forced to make assumptions. I’m forced to act with limited knowledge in the fast-paced world I am so proud of. This need to act balloons in other aspects of my life. Not only am I jumping to conclusions at work, but I’m jumping to conclusions when I read a headline on social media. Again, instead of reacting to surface-level information, it should be a trigger to want to learn more.
The Opposite of Ignorance
If a judgment is rooted in ignorance, then the need to be curious and open-minded is the catalyst for love. I have to shift my mind to be more understanding. Instead of jumping to conclusions, I can create a deeper bond with another person by asking questions and gaining insight from their perspective. This means speaking less and listening more. I must acknowledge that my viewpoint isn’t correct, and the only way to reach a more correct answer is to combine diverse perspectives.
True growth comes from learning that there is more to learn. It’s understanding that I don’t have any answers. A person who believes they know it all will never learn anything. If I acknowledge my limits, I will spend more time trying to gain insight rather than judging what I don’t know. By doing so, I create a space where I respect the other people in my life simply by knowing that I know very little about them. It also creates the opportunity for love in wanting to get to know them more.
Questions and Responses
What does it mean to grow beyond material success?
Growth isn’t just about promotions, wealth, or achievements—it’s about expanding our perspective, learning from others, and challenging our assumptions.
Why does judgment stem from ignorance?
Judgment often comes from incomplete information. Rather than understanding the full story, we form opinions based on limited knowledge, personal biases, or societal conditioning.
How can I become more open-minded?
We can challenge our biases and expand our perspectives by embracing curiosity over certainty, asking more questions, and actively listening to others.
What is the role of humility in personal growth?
Humility reminds us that we don’t have all the answers. The more we accept our limitations, the more we create space for learning, connection, and understanding.
How does curiosity replace judgment?
Curiosity encourages us to seek deeper insight rather than jumping to conclusions. Instead of assuming, we can ask, “What don’t I know?” and build meaningful relationships through understanding.
How can I practice nonjudgment in daily life?
Pause before making assumptions, seek out diverse perspectives, and remind yourself that every person’s experiences shape their reality in ways we may not immediately understand.