I went to a literary conference on Saturday.
I don’t normally go to these.
I stick to romance specific events.
At one workshop,
I didn’t understand
a third of the words
coming out of the speaker’s mouth.
I didn’t get his references
to other writers
(writers not found on any best sellers list).
This was great.
Not only because I learned a few things
but because it humbled me.
I didn’t know ‘everything.’
I knew nothing.
Accepting that you know nothing
is very powerful.
It forces you to ask questions,
to learn,
to fill the empty space.
Do something today
completely out of your comfort zone.
Watch a tv show in another language.
Eat at a restaurant
where you don’t recognize a single dish.
Visit an online forum
in an area outside your expertise.
Great post! It reminded me of Stephen King’s book “On writing”. He says that great ideas don’t come from the “idea factory”. Ideas just flow from everywhere and everyone, you just have to be prepared to recognize the ones that inspire you. I believe that being able to accept that you know nothing makes you present while listening, hence giving you the opportunity to catch inspiring, new ideas.
The idea of doing something out of your comfort zone is just great for triggering the feeling that you don’t know everything. Awesome!