Yup, you read it right. I’ll get to the subject line in a second.

Last week I was having a conversation with a colleague about feedback. You see, as a Mentor Coach at Accomplishment Coaching, I am on a team where feedback is crucial—it’s how you get trained and where you get the chance for someone to catch the things you can’t. 

And I really, really don’t like feedback. 

My whole life, I have created the success I have had, the recognition I have received by being a Know-It-All. You have a problem? I have the solution. You have a question? I have the answer. It’s a clever contraption I created to feel seen and heard, and to feel valuable in relationships—teams, coworkers, family, romance, all of the above.

And last week during this conversation this same colleague reflected that knowing is a possibility killer. Ouch...

Think about it:

Have you ever been really excited to share a piece of news or something you learned with someone else? And their response was a blasé “I know.” 

What happened in that conversation? In my experience, that’s usually where it ended. 

When I take a look over here, my “I know” could also kill possibility. It could keep a client from creating their own breakthrough because I thought my advice was better. It could keep a romantic relationship on the rocks because of how I think it’s going. 

Everything that is new for me to create is in the Unknown. So if I stick with what I know, the possibility of creating something new is nonexistent. 

Take a look for yourself:

• What dream or goal are you allowing to wither because you’re stopped at sticking with what you know?

• What impact could giving yourself permission to not know it all before starting have on your life this week?