[ I Don’t Know. ]

It’s hard for a credentialed person to say, “I don’t know”.  Many years ago, a co-worker asked if I could help him design his concrete garage flooring.  It was really hard to admit, “I don’t know how to do that anymore” – because, doesn’t every civil engineer know that?  Alas, not this one. 

With a credential that points to expected knowledge, it’s even harder to say.  And so, there’s a choice: admit it (‘I don’t know’), or, go figure it out.  That’s ok too, in some circumstances, especially if you want to learn.  But it should start with “I don’t know”.