Epictetus: Cast off conceit: no one can learn what they…

Learning begins when you can admit, without drama, that your current view may be incomplete. This is difficult when you are experienced, praised for being capable, or attached to being the person with the answer. But certainty can make you miss the useful detail in a junior colleague's question, a child's observation, or a failed attempt. Today, approach one familiar task as if you were new to it. Ask someone why they do it differently. Read the instructions you normally skip. Listen through the explanation before preparing your reply. Humility is not pretending to be ignorant. It is keeping your knowledge flexible enough to receive correction. A person who can revise a view gains information; a person who must defend every view loses it. Let being teachable be a form of strength, especially in the areas where you feel most confident.