Scratching the Surface

Friday, July 19, 2019


KNOWLEDGE:
      Noun
  1. facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.
"Knowledge is power" is a controversial cliché used throughout the world. This quote, like many others, has been manipulated, changed and abused for the advantage of whomever is using it. When it is beneficial, individuals tend to change the meaning behind the positivity of the message. It's just like how rumors get started. Someone says something to another person, that person passes it along to the next, but whether intentionally or unintentionally, the words of the original individual get altered. Sometimes words are added, left out or simply misstated to the next and the next and the next, until finally it reaches a point where the message is no longer in its original state. 

However, by definition knowledge simply means or relates to how much factual information you know in any given subject area. This knowledge can be gained through experience or acquired by education. I am a firm believer that the intended meaning of "knowledge is power" is this:
          having knowledge allows you the power to have the ability to do something. 


According to Merriam-Webster, the word power has multiple meanings that all relate to something different. It is up to you to utilize each definition appropriately and not misuse the term to fit your agenda. In support of the kip cliché, I will use the definitions most relevant of the quotes true intentions (in my opinion):


    POWER:
           Noun
            1. ability to act or produce effect
            2. mental or moral efficacy 
            3. influence over others




Let me explain: 

Knowledge is having learned factual information, skill, and intelligence and with that education you gain power - the ability to influence others, to educate others and to be mentally and morally intelligent. Therefore knowledge is power. Being knowledgeable opens doors for you to excel in any area you so choose to become successful in. Lack of knowledge can lead to ignorance because you lack factual information about any given topic of conversation.


Now that I have that out of the way, let's talk about scratching the surface. I have gotten by in life by scratching the surface. Some may say please explain this notion a little further. OK.... so what I mean by this is I have done enough to get by. This whole scratching the surface thing all began when I was in high school. I became angry with my parents when I was forced to change schools my junior year. I was going to miss the only friends I had known for years past and I did not know anyone in the new city we moved to. I began getting C's in school, knowing I could do better knowing I knew better. This has dragged on until present day. 

I know a little about a lot of things. But not a LOT about anything. For instance, I may know or have heard of some of the names of people running in the 2020 Presidential Election, but I know very little to nothing about each individual. AND I only know the names that are most frequently discussed. 

My first love is basketball. I use to be totally interested in basketball, the players, the teams (Go Celtics), the facts, the stats, records and so on for many years. And after I stopped playing I became less and less knowledgeable of what was going on in the collegiate and professional leagues. I began to scratch the surface on just about everything in my life. 

And because fo this scratch the surface crap, I feel less intelligent. I know I could devote myself to learning more than I have allowed myself to learn. I feel so empty-headed it has crippled me to walk away from conversations and from people because I feel I have nothing to contribute. This lack knowledge has even leaked over into what I do for a living. 




In my profession (what I have a Master's degree in and spent over 100K in student loans to obtain), I skim the surface on knowing what is 'in' in the fitness and nutrition world. I am getting by with the little factual information I retained from 10 years ago in college and the tidbits I've heard or read via the World Wide Web or other fitness professionals (which I didn't not fact check BTW). Why do I do this? Because has been was easy. I didn't have to work extremely hard to appear as I knew what was going on. I knew enough to get by. I did what I needed to pass the class in good standing. I did what I needed to semi keep up in conversation with my peers and with colleagues. Knowing a little about a lot of things worked for me. But not anymore.

I have more desire now to want more for myself and for my future. I haven't felt comfortable having  intellectual conversations with people in all walks of life and be able to say more than 'yep, I agree, umm hmm' and so on. I want to engage and exchange factual information without questioning if the information I am relaying is actual truth; without being ashamed for not knowing more.

I am getting back to enjoying and learning more about the things that interest me and I will no longer be scratching the surface. Here are the things I will be focusing on becoming more knowledgeable in.

  • Basketball (college -mens-womens & NBA)
  • News (local and world wide)
  • Fitness, Health, Nutrition (my job)
  • Politics
  • Managing my own businesses
  • Blogging
  • Being an influencer for young girls and women of all races
My knowledge will be my power to succeed and feel confident!








     

1 comment

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