On Knowing

A concept that I will like to internalize is the following:

Know everything about what you say you know. Know a little bit about everything else.

Here are some case studies where this concept comes in handy:

1. On prioritizing.
   You can devote more time and energy to learning the things you know very deeply. For other things, you can do more leisurely reading and learning.

2. On working on a project.
   For the parts you know how to build well, you will create a very high caliber product. For parts you don't know well, you will know enough to hire an expert or re-use an existing library that is proven to work well.

3. On interviews.
   People will often ask you what you know. If you say you know a certain thing, and then they find out that your knowledge in the subject is shallow, you look like a fool. For subjects that you say you don't know, having a general idea is usually sufficient to show that you aren't a one-trick pony. Having this mix of deep and shallow knowledge should prove to the interviewer that you are capable of learning any subject, as it is needed.