The 3 Realms Of Knowledge

There are essentially three realms of knowledge.

1. Things I know that I know
2. Things I know I don't know
3. Things I don't know that I don't know

I know how to drive a car, type on this computer, and read a book. Basic skills.

I know that I don't know how to fly an airplane, speak Japanese, or build my own circuit board for a computer.

As for Things I don't know that I don't know... well... I just don't know.

Most of us are afraid of the unknown so we end up avoiding that realm. It also makes us feel incompetent as well. The ego really doesn't like that area. For the most part we are programmed and trained to not go there.

Most of our time is spent taking things from the realm of things I know I don't know and having them move into the realm of things I know that I know. An example is that I don't know how to speak Japanese. So I start to learn Japanese and as I do it starts to move over into the things I know that I know realm.

The key to all of our success and problem solving comes from the third realm. The realm of "I don't know that I don't know." It is from here that new methods, skills, and insights are developed.

What gets us there is self-awareness. What keeps us from there is ego.