Nobody Really Knows What They Are Doing

In another life, I was courting a young lady, and shortly after her graduation, before her first day, in her first job as a copywriter. Her step-farther, a solicitor, gave her the following advice…

“When you get there, don’t be surprised if nobody knows what the f*** they are doing”

While initially novel. As the years have come and gone, the advice seems to become more and more profound.

With approx 38% of “the yout’” going to university in 2021 and 2022, surely we should have a more capable than ever workforce?

However, it is an open secret that graduates come out of university woefully ill-equipped for the workplace. Despite what those selling education and training may tell you; nobody can be trained for every eventuality. You can give yourself a base level of knowledge in an area, and then you are on your own.

At some point. Everyone has to wing it, and make it up as they go along. At some point, everyone will make mistakes; even brain surgeons.

You receive your education; you then have to marry these ideals to reality, balance them against finite resources and ever-changing uncertainty. You must apply your skills in ways you never imagined.

This, is a hard thing to do and many people, are not good at it. Sometimes people are good at it, but are shackled by reality and circumstances beyond their control. Even the most competent person, can appear seemingly clueless and make awful choices. Bad choices then beget bad choices and downward spirals begin.

To be human is to be fallible. The majority of people are just trying to do the best, with what they have. Some people can do more with what they have than others, and in my experience, this rarely correlates with academic prowess.

In an uncertain and polarised world, where there is always someone who claims to know better. It is worth remembering, nobody really knows what the f*** they are doing.

…apart from me, of course.