The Danger of Not Knowing What You Don't Know
Unconscious Incompetence it is called in the great 4-step paradigm of learning. The scale goes like this: A person is Unconsciously Incompetent at something (just beginning, doesn't yet know what they don't know). They learn a bit and practice some and become Consciously Incompetent . This is the "uh-oh" stage as I think of it, the "what have I gotten myself into" stratum of the scale. Many people quit at this point as they realize they aren't going to just practice guitar for a week and then be able to belt out Stairway to Heaven in two weeks (or La Villa Strangiato for fellow Rush fans). This is where a person begins to think, "geesh, there is a lot more to this than I thought." They know they need work and are aware that there is a lot to learn. Next step: Conscious Competence . Now the person on the path of mastery in any given endeavor is developing a skill-set, as well as learning how to self-assess/self-correct. They kno