Learning in Public

From not knowing to knowing. But what's the path? Is it intentional?

Nov 24, 2024

This is 3Bits & Change, an email about building a service and retail business. This one was written next to a disturbing conversation in a coffee shop and then I cranked Red Hot Chili Peppers!

Let’s look at learning in public.

A few questions come to mind.

Why? Because I’ve been wondering where in the human condition we find the powerful desire to be complete, to be figured… to be perfect. Is it cultural? Is it familial? Both? Else?

What is it? How can it be adjusted? If it’s adjusted, how much potential is un locked?

Why is the pressure to be finished so often more powerful than the desire to be in progress… to be a learner?

This pressure rises to its highest level this time of year in relationship to cooking—for The Holidays. So much pressure to be perfect, to be pro, to show love and be loved. Eh?

I’ve been told by numerous persons across the years that I exhibit a regular pattern of plowing into topics I don’t know much about and simply proceeding to learn fast.

I’m wondering where this drive and curiosity comes from. I don’t think I have answers as of yet.

Here are three points I’m loosely considering as I’m tinkering with this idea.

//no.1 - School

To work on something you don’t know in public… to admit you don’t know something among your peers… these are essential parts of school. That’s why you’re there and so are the rest of the students. So, celebrate together in your shared state of not knowing so you can move to grow and learn and know.

And then the first report card comes out. You likely did not get all the available points. Now what?

And when school comes to an end, how did/do you keep your learning momentum?

//no.2 - Selena Gomez

Selena is a recording artist, actor and more. Her position in culture has a status of “arrived.” And yet, she continues to do and learn—in public.

During the pandemic she put herself in very public context (in an HBO series), with the expressed intent of showing her lack of knowledge and skill when she starred in her cooking show, Selina and Chef.

The premise of the show is in fact that she doesn’t know how to cook. That’s the point. And, she wants to learn.

Chefs of various backgrounds, fame and skill set up their cameras and video in to her kitchen from around the world with the intent to help Selena learn to cook. In early episodes the learning is mostly basics. In later seasons her skills had clearly progressed. The kicker… the whole experience is shared, in public!

My kids have enjoyed the process of watching a person they know, a famous accomplished human with refined and celebrated skill in other areas, put herself in the learner position where she confidently demonstrates a beginner’s mind.

More than Selena’s acting and singing, her work on this show has influenced my kids to want to try, fail and learn in the kitchen. The results have been beautiful in a stunning and uncommon way.

I had a similar experience with Tim Ferriss’ 4 Hour Chef when it came out. I’m deeply thankful for his curiosity on numerous subjects including that book. Infact, I made one of the recipes from memory over last weekend. Do snag that book if you’ve not already! The first part is a framework for learning. The rest of the book is applying that framework to cooking. Totally worth it.

//no.3 - Move beyond fear

This recent post that flowed in my feed resonated with the force of the above. Go ahead… listen (with a warning that it’s from Gary V).

What are you waiting for?

Yes, there is one life.

Why sit stale?

Go. Do.

Do I sit stale for fear of being found out… for not knowing a thing? To not be complete? To not be certain?

Answer: Yes. But, not always.

Sum

I own one NFT from the book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. It starts…

“DO SOMETHING…”

Here’s to intentionally putting ourselves in positions to learn.

Go, do something.

Change

Here it comes
Things are about to get real busy for a few weeks at the shop. This is an interest graph on knife sharpening over the last year. Next week will be twice as busy as this week. This week was twice as busy as last week. Happy cooking Holidays.
Construction in our street missed their deadline, again. They needed another 5 days. That became 6 days. Ugh. The real core of this mess for me is that the whole experience feels like they’re stealing from us - especially when then did not get done before our busiest weeks of the year and they keep extending the effort (now 81 days more of negative impact than originally promised).

On Your Way

The warm glow of morning sun is filling the coffee shop where I’m writing this nifty post. Consider going somewhere, grabbing a warm drink, thinking a bit and then picking your next thing to learn.

Ok, now, go sign up for it.

Cheers!