This Is Why Saying "I Don't Know" Is So Powerful

science is built upon a process that starts in hypothesizing.

“As soon as we actually say, “I know the answer,” we’re going against the reality of the world we live in. We don’t know what’s we going on. When we say “I don’t know” we are more connected to how things actually are.”

“We found that the more intellectually humble students were more motivated to learn and more likely to use effective metacognitive strategies, like quizzing themselves to check their own understanding.”

The truth is, whenever you feel like you know the exact answer to something, you close yourself off to any possibility of new information. But when you do admit that you don’t know everything, you allow yourself to openly learn things.

Consciously and consistently admitting that you don’t know makes you want to learn new things. You wire your brain to be more open to the world around you.

The phrase “I don’t know” can be the most empowering thing in your life if you follow it with “but I am going to find out.”