⚛️ The Einstein Conundrum

I recently read something I am terming the Einstein Conundrum in a satirical comic book I enjoy called The Dilbert Principle. It goes like this:

“Imagine you're having a conversation with Albert Einstein and he suddenly gets struck by lightening. This freak accident instantly makes him twice as smart. Would you be able to tell the difference?

Once a person is smarter than you (or one step ahead), it doesn't matter if they are one percent smarter or one thousand percent smarter. You can't tell the difference.”

While this is said in jest in the book, I do believe that the principle often holds true and it can be useful for your business.

Often, when starting a business or working with clients, people feel inadequate because they know that other people out there know more than them. This is related to the Dunning-Kruger effect, you know enough to know you don’t know everything.

Unfortunately, when people know they don’t know everything they often stop offering the knowledge that they do have to those that want it. They let their imposter syndrome prevent progress.

We all feel a little imposter syndrome sometimes, I believe that is part of being a person who pushes the boundaries and explores the areas outside their comfort zone. Entrepreneurs.

This is your reminder that you can help people who want to get to the stage you’re already at. You don't need to be the world expert, you just need to be a few steps ahead of the person you're speaking with.

Go forth, get started, help people.

The Dilbert Principle: Einstein Conundrum excerpt

A comic strip from The Dilbert Principle

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💡 Quote I'm pondering

"You need to get to the future, ahead of your customers, and be ready to greet them when they arrive” - Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce

Regardless of your business, your job is almost certainly to get people from point A to point B in some kind of metaphorical journey. Sometimes, the people you help might not know what point B actually looks like yet.

You should never need to convince or force people to start their journey to point B. They will start when they’re ready. Your job is to help them understand that they are at point A, that point B exists, and the ways in which they can get to point B.

You need to see and experience that better future, to be that step ahead, and to be ready to help the people who are on their journey to get there.

I shared this in my Work Smart Wednesday newsletter. Want the full set of related insights? You can read them here: https://worksmartwednesday.substack.com/p/work-smart-wednesday-october-9-2024

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