"It wasn't until late in life that I discovered how easy it is to say "I don't know.""
- W. Somerset Maugham
About this Quote
This quote by W. Somerset Maugham speaks to the significance of fitting with not understanding the solution to something. It suggests that it can be tough to admit that we do not know something, particularly as we get older and really feel the stress to have all the answers. Nonetheless, Maugham indicates that it is really an indicator of strength as well as maturity to be able to claim "I don't understand" when we do not have the solution. It is a sign of humbleness as well as self-awareness, and also it can be liberating to be able to approve that we do not have all the responses. By saying "I don't recognize," we can open ourselves up to learning and development.