the difference between knowing and understanding

We often encounter wisdom in books, podcasts, and advice from others, absorbing these insights with a nod and a belief that they're transforming us into better individuals. Yet, despite this accumulation of knowledge, there's a huge difference between knowing something and truly understanding it.

I just noticed this once again when writing my thesis. Yes, I read a lot beforehand on how to approach it, yes, people gave me lots of valuable tips. But it was only by working on it that I truly grasped it. Only by working on it I really understood why it is a mistake to do an in-depth literature review, before conducting qualitative interviews.

The reality is that humans don't learn just by reading or listening; we learn by doing. Only through personal experience, through the actual making and navigating of mistakes, do we truly "get it."

Moving forward, the lesson is clear: We don’t learn from just reading and consuming; we have to do it ourselves. Too often, I neglect that and try to consume as much theoretical as possible before getting started.

The reminder I need is a bit cheesy, but simple and effective:
Just do it.