Those Who Know, Don’t Say

One of the most interesting lessons I’ve learnt in life is that those who know, don’t say. And those don’t know, do say.

In life, whenever someone does say what they know voluntarily, I get suspicious. Why? What I’ve found is that they have a hidden agenda -- unknown, most times, even to themselves.

When they reveal what they know freely, what they’re really doing is compensating for their perceived inadequacies. Those who brag about what they know, can do, or have are putting up a front to try to impress you.

Don’t go for it.

But those who know will rarely say -- unless you pay or persist.

Of course, the internet changes this somewhat. There are those who know and do say. But, then again, they are getting paid. And even though it doesn’t happen in person, you find them and what they know -- they don’t come to you.

Spam is the exception. No wonder people hate it.

When I was a teenager, I remember reading about Lao-Tzu and the story behind how he came to write the Tao Te Ching, his philosophy on life.

He knew. And here’s his story in short...

Someone recognized that he knew. And when he asked Lao-Tzu what he knew, Lao-Tzu refused to tell him. This young man persisted with Lao-Tzu, and finally got him to reveal what he knew by repeated requests for him to write about what he knew.

And since the young man was, I believe, the gatekeeper to the city, he used that power and refused to let Lao-Tzu leave unless -- he wrote what he knew.

It takes effort and ingenuity to get valuable information from those who have it.

So it is in life. When you're seeking knowledge -- you want to learn how to become, do, or get something -- generally, ignore those who voluntarily tell how to achieve it.

Instead, look for those who, by observing their habits, demonstrate what they know. And if you want to learn from them, most times they'll be very open to it -- but they do have conditions.

And that's where persistence comes in.

You'll likely discover that a man who knows, or has some practical or workable knowledge, has little time to share what he knows. But if you can demonstrate to him that your desire is big enough -- in other words, you can prove that you're worth his time -- he'll give it to you free.

But if you don’t have to persist to pick someone’s brain, if they give you what they know without effort on your part, get suspicious. Question the true motivation behind why they revealed what they knew so quickly.

Likely you'll find they're just trying to give off an air of superiority to mask their inner feelings of inferiority. They succeeded in fooling themselves...

... don't let them also fool you.

• Tag: those who know | Discuss in Forums

How to Become a "Natural" with Women

I look forward to meeting and talking with you in the forums.

See you there soon.

Your Friend,

Jay Julio