There’s an well-known anecdote that goes like this:
Albert Einstein was often called to give public lectures on his Theory of Relativity. His chauffeur heard his lectures so many times that he claimed to know it by heart.
At the time, not too many people knew what Einstein looked like. So at the next occasion, they agreed to exchange roles.
And the chauffeur delivered the lecture perfectly. Then one person in the audience asked an impossible question, the chauffeur quickly replied, “Oh, your question is so easy that even my chauffeur can answer it!”
The difference between these two men are: one person has actual knowledge, while the other just pretends. The former has done the work, while the latter puts on a good show.
They cannot explain things without using jargon or vague words. They don’t know how things actually work.
In life, sometimes it’s difficult to tell the difference between these two kinds of people.
So how can you tell?
True experts understand the limits of their knowledge. When they find themselves outside of their circle of competence, they stay silent or simply say, “I don’t know.”
The takeaway
Not knowing something isn’t a bad thing. Perhaps you’re just an expert that recognizes their limits.