The Importance of REQualification

Think of all the material that you KNOW. The stuff you're sure of. How much do you absolutely positively know, and how complete is your understanding? For instance, you probably drive a car, and you probably know most of the rules of the road, but if I asked you how far you have to stay behind a fire truck, what's the answer? Who goes first at a four way stop?

We learn some things years and years ago. Other times, we learn something enough to get by, but we could definitely use some review and re-learning. Maybe we should consider some of our skills, and then reconsider them.

Should You Re-Qualify?

My first thought is that it's okay to let a lot of our knowledge get rusty. I nearly NEVER need to know how to work a quadratic equation. (At least I don't think that I do). As much as I like learning bits of other people's languages, we all have to admit that it's a world where, if you try even a little bit, people will switch to English and it'll be better for everyone involved (you know, from my point of view, in this case).

There are LOTS of skills where I feel we should re-qualify, relearn, reconsider our understanding all the time. Writing for me. Speaking for me. Communication for all of us. We think we know what we know, but we could all stand to re-learn a lot.

I used the term "re-qualify" because I was thinking of when you are qualified to a certain level of mastery, such as a shooting permit, or a driver's license, or the bar exam in law. I feel we could/should stand to have a nearly formal level of grading come in to place to let us know that we've learned to a sufficient level the skills we judge are worth our time and attention (re-attention?).

If You Had to Learn It Again

What are the skills that you feel merit that kind of effort? Which "courses" would you want to take? Where would you double down your focus? It's a really interesting thought experiment, because it forces a little bit of humility on you: "I'm already the MASTER at cooking proteins," a chef might say, but maybe their knife skills have worn down. Too many years of having other cooks run prep, for instance.

Married to the idea of re-qualification is the idea of weighing and valuing what you know. That's what's fascinating to me.

I know "A" and I don't know if it's worth re-learning. I know "B" and maybe that would rate relearning, and re-testing, and asserting my qualification. How would you sort YOUR knowledge?

Twice in writing this, I misspelled a word. I can tell you that I could care less about spelling. Computers fix that for me. My mom used to feel quite embarrassed about her troubles with spelling. Now, unless you're sending your text message too fast, you're probably safe thanks to red squiggly lines.

But what ISN'T safe? Where do you have to learn? What's your re-work?

I'm seeking replies, not just your nodding heads. Dig in. Let me know. :)

Chris...