Realize that you are not the smartest person alive

Intelligence can only take you so far. It’s a fact that some people are born smarter than others, usually due to genetics. However, experience beats intelligence every time. This is why it makes no sense for a 20-year-old college student to mouth off to a professor or parent.

We all can admit we’ve argued with our parents before. I know I have, and I swear I win some of the arguments. We have to realize though, that they have experienced life much more than us. They were 20, 30, maybe even 40 years old when we were BORN. They had already experienced so much before we took our first breaths.

The younger generation needs to be more humble. We need to realize that we know very little compared to our elders. Kids will look up a thing or two from Google on a particular subject and think they are now experts on it. They assume they got the main points and that there’s nothing else significant when arguing about it.

By thinking we know more than we do, we ironically create more ignorance. If someone else introduces a new point to a subject, we will disregard it if we claim ourselves knowledgeable on the topic, regardless if it’s a valid point or not.

The problem with this is that we don’t open ourselves to new information. We don’t allow ourselves to learn new things, thus disabling our ability to grow as human beings. It’s our stubbornness that can get in the way at times.

It’s almost like people are too scared to ask questions now. We don’t want to admit we don’t know something because it creates a sense of weakness, or at least we think.

However, asking questions is one of the best things you can do in life. You can’t do everything by yourself, and asking questions offers you nice assistance.

Do you think you’ll know everything you need to do on your first day at work straight out of college? Absolutely not, and your boss will know it. They will be thrilled to hear a question come out of your mouth. It shows you’re interested and motivated to get the job done right. Just make sure you learn after they explain the answer.

I can’t imagine a boss that likes to repeat themselves. It’s the people that don’t ask questions that are in trouble. You can’t live your life without asking questions.

Take advice from your parents and grandparents. Ask them what their lives were like in college and what they did to be successful. This is one of the many reasons why the adults in your life are so important. They can be looked at as guides and role models that can help you make the right decisions.

Your parents were essentially put on this planet to go through life and eventually tell you all about it. You’ll do the same for your kids, and this will continue for countless generations.

I’m not saying you’re stupid, but just know there are people out there that know so much more than you. It doesn’t hurt to accept what others have to say and consider it. It can open your mind up to many more things. Who knows? An educated conversation could be just what you need.