Charmed Chatter

The musings of a Personal Trainer/Foodie, en route to adding Yoga Teacher to the mix!


When I was a child I was always being called a “Know it All”. This at the time was really fine, because I really did think I knew it all. I was happy with being such a genius actually, and so I continued with this “I know it all” attitude for a long time. The funny thing about time is all the stuff you find out you were wrong about during its passing.


Through the years, the biggest problem I’ve found with being a “Know it All” is when you enter a situation feeling like an expert, and leave feeling like a complete idiot.   

You go through various thoughts and emotions... Like, “What do you mean I FAILED the exam? Did I study and dedicate myself – well no, but I didn’t have to... I knew it all...” and “I don’t understand why my teachers are annoyed with me, they don’t even need to do anything for me, I already know it all...” and of course "Why doesn't everybody listen to me?!" (Obvious reason, is that they don't agree that you know everything!)

When this happens, it is inevitable that you go through various stages of denial. After all, who wants to admit to themselves that after all these years of being a genius, you are actually (gasp!) a normal person?! Then, if you are not a genius, and you do not know it all (or even close to it all), that means that you actually need teachers. You need people who are willing to share their experience and expertise to help you get closer to knowing more, and you need to listen to them and respect them. You also need to dedicate yourself and your time to anything that you truly want to excel in, and you need to put your heart and soul into it. And all this sure can seem like a lot of work when you have been used to having it all figured out without even trying!

In my case, it was a hard pill to swallow, and to be brutally honest I have moments where I feel it’s still going down.  

On the other hand, the wonderful things that happen when you stop pushing through life like a bull (or a bully) are absolutely amazing. For me personally, some of the great things that have discovered since my big epiphany some years ago are:

  • When you are going to try something new and you go in with an open mind and open heart, people will generally want you to succeed. When you go in as the know it all, people want you to be proven wrong – because you usually are wrong. 
  • When you try and fail, it is perfectly okay! People in your circle will comfort you, and try to help you to do better. As opposed to wanting to tell you “I told you so.” (Then secretly “high fiving” themselves in their minds!)
  • When you want to learn you will find teachers all around you. Teachers love to share. They do not, however, want to force anyone to learn. (They also don’t want to argue!)
  • When you don’t know everything, it means you can never be bored, because there is always something new to find out about, and life is much more exciting this way.  The older I get, the duller being “perfect” looks.
I still struggle at times with my “know-it-all-ness”, it’s hard to get out of an old and useless way of being and thinking, especially when you yourself love to be the leader. But in life, people don’t want to follow the small person who acts above everyone. People love an honest, open, and sometimes fallible leader... because it reassures us all that it is okay not to be perfect, and that in fact maybe its better not to be. 


Smiles and laughter!

1 comments:

From a fellow recovering know-it-all, I completely understand where you are coming from and support your efforts! :)

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