It’s helpful to think of awareness in three layers when we’re interpreting our environment. The top layer is what we see/hear/smell/touch/taste at first contact. It reflects whatever has activated our senses. It poses as certainty because it has immediate evidence.
The middle layer is our biased interpretation of that data. The goal is to label the situation as quickly and accurately as possible. It’s like the handle on a suitcase – it gives you something to grab onto but doesn’t tell you what’s in the luggage.
The bottom layer is the larger context of unknown variables. This layer only reveals itself when we acknowledge that we don’t have the whole picture. It makes the question, “What am I missing?” vital to making sense of the world.
The danger of relying on the top and middle layers is that we’re usually wrong and certain at the same time. It’s the lazy way to ensure a steady flow of confirmation bias. Unfortunately, not knowing is uncomfortable. Yet delaying the gratification of certainty is the only way to allow the whole picture to become visible. Ambiguity is your friend.
Not making sense is a gift. It fuels exploration and discovery. It allows you to step into the perspective of both friends and strangers – and, ironically, the greatest learning comes from strangers. It’s like getting a view of the underground ant colony: once we take in the scale, we can see the structure, purpose, and direction.
Begin with curiosity. Be willing to not understand. Ask what you’re missing. Challenge assumptions. Open new pathways to learning. Celebrate clarity when it comes.