(Quotes are capsules of information, reinforcement, or enlightenment.)


“He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes;
he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.”

Ancient Proverb


Coaching Point: Curiosity and courage beat pride every time.

Follow your curiosity when you realize you do not know. Use your courage to ignore what others think about your lack of knowledge.

Have you ever felt embarrassed that you did not know something? That is the ego doing what it does. Ignorance costs more than momentary embarrassment.

Asking dissolves ignorance.

The best way to learn is to act like you know nothing. The moment you pretend you already understand something, you stop absorbing new information.

This is why highly successful people tend to ask more questions than they answer. They treat not knowing as a feature, not a flaw.

When did you first become comfortable with others seeing you as not knowing?


Copyright 2026 Steve Straus. All rights reserved.