“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” -Maya Angelou
Learning is messy. Being wrong feels the same as being right because we do not know we are wrong initially. All we can ever do is the best that we know. When we get into a situation and we do not know what to do, what can we do? Ultimately, this is the root of all learning. As Maya Angelou put it, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
At Tumfo Tu, we recognize that being in uncomfortable and unfamiliar situations is how we find out what in our knowledge base is inadequate. We practice applying the best that we know on and off the floor. When we find out what we know was wrong or is not effective, we change based on new information. It’s a simple proposition, but it is often difficult for adults to do.
As children, we are taught many simplified things that help us get by. Some of us grew up believing that it was illegal to drive with the lights on, for example. (If you still believe that you’re welcome). We are taught these things as children to cause us to behave a certain way or do (or not do) a certain thing. As we get older, we have to shed old knowledge in favor of better knowledge all the time. To hold on to old knowledge when we learn better is foolish and certainly does not serve us. However, as adults, we often have learned to do just that. It is incredibly difficult to accept information that goes against what we believe we know. Confirmation bias seeps in. Ego takes over and refuses to let us drop what we know.
To overcome this, we have to go back to the child-like mindset. At Tumfo Tu, we constantly seek that mindset. We’re consistently challenged and challenging ourselves. A lot of prospective students come in the door looking for an answer. As they walk the journey, they learn many answers along the way. However, each new answer gives a glimpse into new ways to refine what they know. Learning never ends. Every day, we know better. Every day, we do better.
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