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Museletter -
July
2004
My News
I reached one of my goals. I'm now a published author! I have an article in the current issue of the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Journal. I haven't yet seen the article, (hint hint to my architectural readers!)
My Muse
Our society puts great value on knowledge. The popularity of quiz programmes on telly is huge. Isn't it great shouting at the screen. "Oh my God, how can you not know that?" Man's knowledge doubles at an increasing rate, it used to be that it doubled every generation, which is 25 years, then I read or heard somewhere with the onset of the information age that it doubled every five years. Who knows how quickly it doubles currently.
One thing is for sure though, as the amount of mankind's knowledge increases, the percentage of it that anyone of us can know gets smaller and smaller. Yet the pressure for us to know more and more increases from external forces. Just look at job adverts and the list of skills and knowledge required.
You never see jobs advertised 'Ignorant Person Required'! Yet when you employ someone, it's because you want them to perform a function in the future. And the only thing we know about the future is that we don't know anything about it at all! And because we don't know what will happen it is very likely that the unexpected will happen. How much use will your knowledge be then? When presented with an unexpected situation, what you need is not knowledge but wisdom.
Wisdom is applied knowledge. Taking stuff from our past and applying it in the most appropriate manner. What I realised this week was that definition is too limiting. If my wisdom relies on applying my knowledge, it must be restricted by what I know. Wouldn't it be better to apply my ignorance to the situation, because I have far more of it! I then I realised, of course, that the best course of action is to apply both my knowledge and my ignorance in order to create the wisest decision or action.
So my challenge to you is apply the asset of your ignorance to your life this week, and let me know what the results are.
Book Recommendation
Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson
This is a short parable, about the nature of change and how we can either embrace it and move forward or ignore it and watch as our cheese (life) goes rancid! It's simple, it's clear and it's effective. This book was a great help to Lorraine and I in deciding what to do with our business when I wanted to change career. I've lent my copy to lots of people and I'm sure if you read it you'll do the same!
To buy the book click here
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here for previous Museletters...
To have a free trial experience of Dynamic Coaching please call Nick Simmonds on 020 8868 7702 or email nick@dynamiccoaching.co.uk
