“The minute you begin to believe you’re an expert, is the
minute you get knocked down!”
– Bruce Dunning
The Experts Say
It was early in the morning.
I was doing yoga; stretching as part of my daily “get ready” routine
while also listening to another “expert” telling the world that more bad was
going to happen. At this time, on this
show, he seemed to be making a lot of sense.
I began to slow down and deepen my stretches so I could listen more
attentively. I listened until the show
ended and I finished my yoga, then I moved on to the rest of the day in front
of me.
As the day progressed, the words of the expert continued to
tickle my ears. I had made a mental note
of the title of his latest book and when I needed a small mental diversion, my
fingers tapped lightly on my computer’s keypad so I could peruse my favorite
on-line book distributor’s reviews.
The reviews were plentiful and enlightening. This was neither his first book, nor was it
his first round of prognostication. His
readers said it all. “Great
expectations, poor track record!” “Loved
the book and some of what he predicted came to pass.” I decided to take a pass myself. I didn’t order the book.
“There is a certain order to the world.” Bruce Dunning was saying to me. Bruce is, perhaps, the best negotiator I have
ever met or worked with. He was
coaching, and working with me to finish the last of my class work so I could complete
the requirements for a designation known as “Master Certified Negotiation
Expert.” (Ha! Another expert born!) Then he followed that
statement up with, “The minute you begin to believe you’re an expert, is the
minute you get knocked down!”
My mind raced back to the book writer, the “expert on the
world’s economy and future.” He was
right and he was wrong. Just like you
and me! No one is always right, even if
they are designated as an expert. Sue
reminds me of that on a regular basis, especially when I get all riled up about
what “the experts” are saying.
She says, “I prefer to have a more positive view of the
world!”
So, when you and I are worried about what the experts are
saying all around us, perhaps we could remember what Thomas Jefferson said?
“Trust the people. The people will get
it right!”
That doesn’t mean there won’t be mistakes. It doesn’t mean things will go smoothly and
not get messy. Could it mean that you
and I, regular people, will do some things right and then feel real good about
ourselves until the universe reminds us of how small we really are?
Yes. We’re small. One small piece of something magnificent!
This one small piece drove home on another day last
week. It had been a particularly long
and difficult day until I turned into my driveway. At that moment, the beauty of the green
grass, combined with the sky, and was punctuated by sublime mountain peaks! It all took my breath away!
Since I had little breath, I whispered to myself, “No matter
what the experts say, this world is one beautiful place and I’m glad to be just
one small part of it for one small amount of time!”
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