This is a retelling of a story that was told to a guy I worked with. The original person is in their 70's, but I thought it interesting enough to pass on.
When the guy was 18 he thought that he had pretty much figured things out in life and knew what was what. When he turned 28 he felt the same way, but he had come a long way since he was 18. His eighteen year old self he now considered a dumbass and he was glad that he had gained that knowledge of the last 10 years.
When he turned 38, now he really knew what was what, had figured out life and looking back his twenty eight year old self was a dumbass. Same conclusions every decade as he aged: no matter how much he had figured out, give it 10 years and hindsight and he really knew squat and behaved like an ass.
I don't think that I have to live to be in my 70's to take this guys lesson. I'll operate under the assumption that 10 years from now, I'll probably look back at my confidence and knowledge and consider my younger self to be a dumbass. This seems yet another way to keep hubris in check.
Do you think that you're smart and have your shit together? Yes? You might not think that in 10 years. Dumbass.
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