Levels of understanding
Levels of understanding
When someone explains a concept to you…
If you have no clue why it is being explained and you are merely an onlooker, you don’t belong in that field of knowledge or you are a novice that needs some serious coaching. You are in elementary school.
If you feel you have understood it, but it quickly escapes your memory and you cannot explain it well enough, you have not understood it. This is like being in middle school.
If you can take that knowledge, try it out yourself, repeat it and can then explain it to someone else, you have understood it. This is like being in high school.
If you can then document it for others to understand it, detailing step by step, revealing each portion of the concept, you know it very well. You are now an undergrad!
When you have tried multiple ways of doing it, can figure out the easiest way to getting it done, can conceptualize other applications and can quickly determine what’s viable and what’s not, you can then convincingly explain it. You are an expert in the subject. You are in grad school.
When you can take that concept to realms not explored by others and can propose new methodologies, bring in higher levels of efficiencies and make substantive difference to that area of work, you are an authority! It’s like doctoral studies!
We are all in various stages of understanding of various aspects of our professional and personal lives. The challenge is, not all those aspects have been coined as regimented curricula with prescribed topics to be covered against a set syllabus to which a degree will eventually be conferred.
The onus is on you to acquire the life’s skills and knowhow. Perform or face the hardships of not acquiring them!
The good news is, you have intellectually been made capable of figuring things out. All it takes is interest, deep desire, commitment and thought! Reading, meeting people and learning is but a corollary!
How well do you understand each aspect of your own life?
