You finally know if you have mastered a concept if you can explain it to your grandmother

Abstraction can go many levels deep and it’s one of the reasons we’re able to stand on the shoulders of giants. On the other hand once you’re several levels down a rabbit hole you need to be able to step back and understand how you got there. 

Sometimes we think we know something because we apply it every day without having questioned the layers of abstractions. The why and how behind several other whys’ and hows. 

The ultimate litmus test of this knowledge is being able to explain this to your grandmother or someone to that effect who has not known the multiple abstractions. 

If you are able to explain the multiple layers of abstraction in simple terms that truly makes sense to someone without any context then you have mastered the concept.

Let’s make sure we’re always curious enough to step back, question and learn. Unlike the grandson who thought breaking the leg of lamb in half was part of grandma’s recipe only to realise when she was invited by her grandson that she’d been doing that because her oven was small. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult

Mental models & how we remember

  • Default to transparency
  • Own the outcome
  • Learn continuously
  • Trust compounds
  • Lead through service
  • Start small, think big

Further Examples

3 ways of learning: The easy way, the difficult way & the tragic way

The easy way is when we can learn from others. Without taking the hit, the cost nor the pain. It’s rare but it happens. The difficult way is when we make our own mistakes. The tragic way is when we don’t… but life has its own way of teaching us regardless and the most important lesson is to make sure we get back on our feet and bounce that 3rd, 7th or 11th time.