The past several days I’ve been working on getting a new directory script I tripped upon up and running. The script is one of the better directory scripts I’ve run into (and I’ve played with tons of them) but I still had to learn how it worked to know what I could and couldn’t tweak and to customize it to my liking. I also ran into several issues that I had to go to the support forums and dig for answers to determine what was up and test and tune so to speak.
I know what I know — and whenever I work on a new script or application, I am made aware of how much I don’t know. I guess that has what has kept this fun for me — the whole playing with new things, coming across problems, facing them head on and resolving them. By doing so I am constantly learning something new. In the past 48 hours I learned all kinds of new details in regard to PHP, .htaccess files, MySQL databases and Apache servers. How exhilarating!
Unfortunately, I don’t run into many who approach learning new things as I do. Many tend to “tune out” the moment they run into something that they don’t quite understand why it isn’t working as they perceived it should. While others will trivialize the complexity of the issue by making comments that it’s easy “but I just don’t have time to tackle that right now.” That let’s me know they know what they don’t know — they just don’t want to admit it.
I tripped on a post today titled: Acknowledge What You Don’t Know
Give it a read and then…. don’t trivialize not knowing, don’t try to hide behind other excuses as to why you don’t know — just don’t know. And that’s A.O.K!
At your service,
Judith
You Know You’re a Web Business Amateur When…
Of course you do! Each and every one of us knows our strengths and weaknesses; although only those who are not too invested in their ego will admit as much.
I’ve worked with folks in almost every industry over the past decade. Each approached their online program from a different point of view and varying degrees of experience and comfortability with technology.
The one trait that those who were able to use technology effectively, experience ROI and be able to use it for all it’s worth were those who the following applied to:
Know what you know and know what you don’t know.
Although the online world is a DIY (Do It Yourself) play land (or so many would like you to think), one still has to be rabidly realistic as to whether they have the skills and knowledge to DIY and achieve success. The fact is most do not.
That’s not to say that if one were so inclined they couldn’t learn the information and skills necessary to DIY. But, in my experience most do not want to make these efforts. Yes efforts; time, energy, learning, frustration. That’s part and parcel of DIY folks. What is not considered by many who undertake that responsibility is the quality of their finished product.
Many will still DIY to their detriment to save money. In that case, how much are you really saving vs. what is lost in opportunity by not doing things properly? Lost opportunity is rarely recovered.
We live in a culture of not dealing with our lack of skills or talent realistically — the popularity and 10s of thousands that show up to audition for the TV show American Idol proves this point. If you want to succeed online; know what you know. And for what you don’t know, find someone with the real-world experience, ethics and knowledge to fill in the gaps.
This methodology is your one true path to real ROI.
At your service,
Judith
