Knowing is not knowing

Being deeply immersed in the world of the personal development and leadership training for the last decade of my life, there’s one phrase that makes me cringe every time:

“I already know that.”

There exists two states of knowing: (1) the mental knowing of a piece of information and (2) the deeply integrated knowing that comes from fully embodying information into your way of being.

When someone says “I already know that,” they are referring to the first version. They have heard that piece of information before in the past. And that is simply not enough.

You could “know” that eating healthy will help you feel better, lose weight and have more energy.

You could “know” that making cold calls will help you fill up your pipeline, hit your quota and earn more money.

You could “know” that a daily mediation practice will help you be more present, reduce stress and be more creative.

If you aren’t living this “knowing” with every opportunity you get, then you don’t actually know it. You aren’t experiencing the benefits of this knowledge. You are uselessly gathering information.

When people say “I already know that,” they are proving to themselves and others that they have acquired knowledge. Don’t prove it. Be it. Show me. Live this knowledge. Every day. Experience it. Master it. Then come back and tell me you know it.