>> Why We Have This Emotion
Confusion lets us know we have a gap in our understanding. It signals us to pause, gather info, test assumptions, and update our mental models before committing to a choice.
◎ What to do in the moment
Good Ideas
- List the knowns and unknowns
- Identify what exactly feels unclear
- Stay patient, confusion is normal
- Put the idea in your own words
- Re-explain it in a different way
- Test your understanding by explaining it to someone else
Bad Ideas
- Mistake confusion for incapability
- Berate yourself for being confused
- Give up when concepts feel difficult
- Be too embarrassed to ask questions
- Rely on just one information source
- Make big decisions while confused
- Avoid the subject entirely