How far does a little knowledge go?

You may be familiar with the saying “A little knowledge goes a long way”, and this can be true when framed properly.??In the context of learning new knowledge and expanding your frame of reference, you are able to expand your horizon to what is possible.??However, if the little knowledge you possess defines your frame of reference, then you will be hindered in your thinking and will likely reject new information which could potentially expand your frame of reference.

Everyone around you has a unique frame of reference based upon the experiences, knowledge obtained and retained, and openness to learning.???“New Math” for example may not make immediate sense to someone in my age category who was provided knowledge on the tried and true “Old Math”, but for students it becomes “the way” for solving mathematical equations and problems.?We both can arrive at the same answers but we approach it from different frames of reference and it may take longer for the older generation to get to the same point.?

Why is this important???Think about making a decision, whether it is in your work setting or personal life.?What if the information you are presented is new.??You are unfamiliar with the information and have to decide what to do with new information.??Your brain automatically assesses and evaluates new information against, you guessed it, your frame of reference.??Does it walk like a duck, talk like a duck, etc...?So what happens when your brain can not find an exact comparison with the new information???It wants to provide an answer and most of the time it will select a frame of reference to the closest comparison of knowledge.???This can lead to making a bad decision or a wrong decision.??The result of the bad or wrong decision now becomes a new frame of reference for you.??This is part of the way we learn.??We also learn when the decision we made, even with it’s flaws, arrived with a positive result.??The issue here is the positive result may not have arrived due to our decision but from a myriad of other factors, yet we incorporate our decision as achieving the positive result and we skew our frame of reference for future decisions.

In a hiring situation, you may have heard or even said yourself, “I am trusting my gut.”??The problem is a three taco lunch may influence your gut more than it can in making a hiring decision.??What is really being said here is I am trusting my frame of reference.??I am going along with what I know rather than take the chance that I could be wrong with my assessment of new information.??In other words, we are going to keep doing things the way we always have and expect better results.??This is an easy way for us to avoid change, avoid learning, avoid risk, and in the end it prevents growth, expanding knowledge and adapting to new circumstances.??If the world around you didn’t evolve, this may not be an issue.??The reality is not only is there change going on, but it is happening at a pace much faster than what most people realize.??New technology, new knowledge, new markets derive new expectations.??As an example of the change, consider how do you know what time it is??Most of you did not look at your wrist unless you have a device that has more computing power than all of the earliest computers combined.?Many of you look to your phone, and a few may still wear a wristwatch.??Unless it is a precision timepiece, the accuracy of keeping time may be flawed compared to the continually updated device in your hand.??

The takeaway here is expand your frame of reference.??Continue to learn.??The expanse of knowledge regarding things you do not know far exceeds the limited knowledge you do possess.??Be open to considering other’s perspectives, listen to what is going on around you, and stop trusting your gut on all your decisions.