Write your search in the input below and press enter.
Esc to close.

The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich

Peak Performance:
Not Just for Sports, for Life

  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
    • Recent
    • Athletes
    • Coaching
    • Sports Parenting
    • Sports Administrators
    • Life
    • Administrators
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Hello. Sign In

My Account
  • Login
  • Register
0
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk
Subscribe
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich
  • Recent
  • Athletes
  • Coaching
  • Sports Parenting
  • Life
  • Administrators
Home / Blog / It’s OK to Say “I Don’t Know”

It’s OK to Say “I Don’t Know”

By: Dr. Chris Stankovich | @DrStankovich | May 07, 2021

No Comments

Have you ever stopped to notice how rare it is these days for people to admit that they don’t know something?  Largely because of social media, people today are often fooled into thinking they have a much greater knowledge base than they actually possess, with increasingly more people quickly equating random internet searches as enough to make them an expert on something.  Think about recent conversations that you have had where you have been in the company of someone doling out expertise on science, medicine, legal matters, and just about every other subject under the sun as though they have formally trained in those areas — though in reality they have not.  The concept of simply saying I don’t know seems so foreign to them, in fact, it is viewed by some as the worst thing you could possibly do — to let your guard down and show others you are lacking knowledge in a particular area.

Reflecting on a recent conversation

Admittedly, the idea of blogging about the problem with people acknowledging they don’t know something originally came to me from talking to one of the smartest people I know who regularly said “I don’t know” as we discussed a variety of topics.  This friend not only said “I don’t know,” but also “I’m not sure,” and “I am not familiar with that subject” and “I am not the best person to ask about that.”  Furthermore, when admitting that he didn’t know much about specific topics, he didn’t shy and cower away, nor did he give any impression that he was embarrassed.  In fact, he almost did the exact opposite by proudly and candidly admitting that while he considered himself an expert in his professional line of work (medicine), there were exponentially more topics that he had, at best, a very basic knowledge base.  No shame.  No guilt.  No embarrassment.

This friend that I speak of, when told of my intrigue around people unwilling to admit they don’t know something, agreed that he has seen the same trend — and even went a step further with his observations.  Not only is there a growing movement of pseudo-expertise, but real experts like himself are finding that if he doesn’t agree or support the medical position of a patient he treats, the patient may argue with him and actually suggest that he — the doctor — is wrong!  Don’t get me wrong, doctors sometimes make mistakes, but it’s rare that a patient untrained in medicine knows more than the treating physician about medical conditions.

It’s OK to admit when we are wrong

Dale Carnegie, author of the popular book How to Win Friends and Influence People, specifically talks about how we should always own up to things we don’t know and admit when we get things wrong.  None of us know everything, and we also know that all of us make mistakes with our thinking and judgement.  Admitting that we got it wrong is not an admission of inadequacy, inferiority, or that we are some form of human damaged goods, but instead an admirable display of candor that is inviting to others to do the same.  In fact, modern science is built upon the idea that as we learn more, we often go back and correct our previous erroneous judgements and opinions — and that this exercise is admired and expected, not frowned upon.

Final thoughts

If you don’t know much about car engines, pharmaceutical drugs, concrete driveways, or astronomy, it’s perfectly OK to say “I don’t know.”  To go on and ramble about subjects you know little about is not only intellectually dishonest, it can also lead to potentially dangerous consequences.  Jeff Spicoli from the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High (pictured above) might have been on to something when he candidly admitted “I don’t know” why he was late for class, a response we might all want to use when asked about questions that we don’t know.

drstankovich.com

health, mental, psychology

  • Author
  • Comments
  • Details
Get to Know the Author

Dr. Chris Stankovich

Dr. Stankovich has written/co-written five books, including Positive Transitions for Student Athletes, The ParentsPlaybook, Mind of Steel.

Latest Blog Posts

  • March 22, 2023 Nature or Nurture? Exploring the Psychology of Sport Success
  • March 20, 2023 Morning Sports Practice Before School is Becoming the Norm, but is this Healthy for Kids?
  • March 14, 2023 Understanding Intelligence: Putting Knowledge into ACTION!
  • March 13, 2023 3 Important Tips for Today’s Multi-Sport, Youth Sport Athlete
  • February 26, 2023 The Most Important Sports “Ability” Might Surprise You

PREVIOUS POST

Overcoming a Big Mental Toughness Obstacle: The Fear of Failure

NEXT POST

Important Psychology Ideas for Successful Coach Leadership

Category

Continuing Education , Emotional Intelligence , health , health psychology , Life , mental health , Uncategorized

Tags

health, mental, psychology

  • Recent Posts
  • Most Read
  • Nature or Nurture? Exploring the Psychology of Sport Success
  • Morning Sports Practice Before School is Becoming the Norm, but is this Healthy for Kids?
  • Understanding Intelligence: Putting Knowledge into ACTION!
  • 3 Important Tips for Today's Multi-Sport, Youth Sport Athlete
  • The Most Important Sports "Ability" Might Surprise You
  • The Psychology Behind Breaking Bad Habits
  • What has Happened to Free Play and Recreational Sports for Kids?
  • The Importance of Efficiency Applied to Success & Productivity
  • The Most Important Sports "Ability" Might Surprise You
  • Accident Prone & Forgetful? Poor Stress Coping May be the Reason
  • The Sports Doc on TV

    Catch Dr. Stankovich’s tv, radio, and print interviews and columns here!

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Watch Videos
  • Sport Performance Assessment

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Quickly and accurately test your level of mental toughness in just a few minutes using the Sport Performance Assessment.

    (SPA), an easy-to-use sport psychology system specially designed to help you REACH YOUR FULL ATHLETIC POTENTIAL.

    learn more
  • SportsSuccess360

    Life strategies for performance and character development for coaches, parents, and student athletes competing in youth and interscholastic sports.

    Life Strategies learn more
  • Contact Dr. Stankovich

    1395 Grandview Avenue Suite 6, Columbus OH 43212

    (614) 561-4482
    Media & General Inquiries
    information@drstankovich.com
    Sales & Product Support
    sales@drstankovich.com
  • About Dr. Stankovich

    • Media
    • Blog
    • Testimonials
  • Products

    • Toolkits
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Audio
    • iPhone Apps
  • Services

    • Athlete Performance Training
    • Parent Community Forum
    • Coach Education & Development
    • Athletic Crisis Response and Intervention
    • Drug & Alcohol Assessment
    • Life Success Programs
    • Counseling & Consulting Services
  • Blog
  • YouTube
  • twitter
  • facebook

All rights reserved © 2023 Advanced Human Performance Systems™

↓ ↓