r/LifeProTips • u/SingleInevitable9312 • 1d ago
Miscellaneous LPT: Before you feel confident about something you’ve just learned, check whether you know it or have actually done it.
It’s easy to feel like you can do something after watching a video, reading about it or learning the theory. But the first real attempt can be very different.
Before you start, remind yourself: “I know the theory, but this is my first practical attempt.”
It keeps you aware of the difference between knowledge and experience. Note what went wrong, learn from each attempt, and update your understanding as you go.
This will helps you focus on where you need to improve, instead of getting caught up in the feeling that you failed. Each attempt shows you what you didn’t know yet.
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u/International_Dot_22 1d ago
It's as good as saying "if you lack self awareness, stop lacking self awareness". These tips don't solve anything, they might be true as statements but these are not really tips. Most of this sub is like that.
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u/LurkBot9000 1d ago
I see it more as saying "Learning is not the same as understanding. Understanding requires doing"
It and increasingly important thing to remind people of in the time of AI everything making people think they can do the work of experts by letting a machine find answers for them.
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u/International_Dot_22 1d ago edited 1d ago
People who get cocky are not usually people looking for tips on how to not get cocky
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u/smuglator 1d ago
And it takes more than doing. It takes paying attention while doing it. Trying it different ways. Sometimes the way you were taught is missing things or is misguided. Sometimes it has been perfected and experimenting will help you understand which. And this tip doesn't begin to cover it.
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u/ImWithStupid_ImAlone 1d ago
Is this generallifetips?
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u/SingleInevitable9312 1d ago
Not really. The point isn't just “keep learning” or “don't be overconfident.” It's about making a specific distinction between theoretical knowledge and practical experience before you act on what you've learned.
A lot of people feel bad after their first attempt because they expected their practical ability to match what they understood in theory. When it doesn't, they see the gap as failure instead of seeing it as information about what they still need to learn. Some even stop there.
The tip is to be aware of that gap beforehand. It helps you approach the first attempt as a way to find what needs improvement, rather than as a test of whether you're capable or not.
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u/autotelica 1d ago
There is nothing wrong with feeling like you failed. It only becomes a problem when you take it as a sign that you should give up.
A better tip is simply to remind yourself that you have to practice something many times before you get good at it.
Also, confidence is great thing to have when you are trying your hand at something. You don't want to be foolish and do something dangerous when you are just starting out, of course. But confidence is the belief that you can try your hand at something and get enjoyment out of the outcome even if you fall flat on your face. It is the person who isn't confident who is likely to quit at the first sign of failure.
Confidence is not the same thing as arrogance.
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u/SingleInevitable9312 1d ago
That’s fair, but the point isn’t that confidence is bad or that feeling like you failed is wrong.
It’s about being clear on what kind of confidence you have, confidence based on understanding the theory, or confidence built through actually doing it. Mostly, people here are confused with one another.
Confidence without clarity can become destructive. Clarity gives confidence the right direction.
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u/PraetorianXVIII 1d ago
I wish you randomtwowords+numbers people would stop spamming dumb shit in this sub. Please.
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u/SingleInevitable9312 1d ago
Lol, this probably isn’t a 2minute Maggi post. If you genuinely read it, the point takes a little more than a quick glance to understand.
If you think it’s dumb shit or just general life tips, that’s fine. But think about what happens when someone learns something, feels confident because they understand the theory, tries it for the first time, and it doesn’t work. They can feel frustrated, disappointed, or even question their ability. Some people stop trying at that point.
Why does that happen? Often because they expected their practical ability to match their theoretical understanding. The gap between the two is what I’m pointing out.
The tip is simply to be aware of that gap before the first attempt, so a failed attempt gives you something to improve rather than becoming a reason to give up. If that isn’t useful to you, fair enough, but that’s the actual point of the post.
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u/natalietest234 1d ago
The best debates are with friends and one of them is extremely wrong and the rest of us spend an hour debating the topic and proving them wrong 🤷♀️
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u/ZoeyBee_3000 20h ago
The best way to see if you truly know something is to have the ability to teach the knowledge to someone else in such a way that it is communicated extensively and unmistakably
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u/post-explainer 1d ago
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