Globbing and conscious incompetence

Last summer, I was introduced to the step-wise notion of conscious and competence, or incompetence, depending on if you’re a glass is half-empty kinda person. Step 1 is “unconscious incompetence” (file that one in the “ignorance is bliss” category). Step 2 is “conscious incompetence” (this one really sucks…“I’m aware how far away I am from knowing anything”). Step 3 is “conscious competence”…“hey look at me, I’m water-skiing…I never thought I’d be able to…SPLASH” and Step 4 is the anticlimactic “unconscious competence”…you’ve mastered it but are so in the zone that you forgot that you once didn’t know how to do it…but by now you’re probably beating yourself up that you’re consciously incompetent about a different skill-set.

At the risk of being accused for being altogether unkind to myself, I will preface the following list with the caveat that I am unconsciously competent at many things (most recently, reverse parallel parking). That out of the way, here are some of the areas in which I am consciously incompetent:

  • Blogging (or “globbing” as our daughter calls it)

  • Speaking Italian

  • Tying scarves in that elegant Parisian way

  • Making consistently good bread

  • Playing drums

  • Snowboarding

  • Any sort of dance that may involve actual steps rather than flailing gestures

  • Bridge

  • Most home renovation projects

While there is most certainly more, these are top of mind today. And I’ve committed to myself that I will seek out counsel on effective blogging, so am shouting this out to the universe (or blogosphere or whatever this place is called…see what I mean?) So if you feel like you want to revel in your competence in this realm, please email me your thoughts, input, tips etc.

If not, I’m sure my 5-year-old will have the globbing thing figured out before me and can give her dear old Ma some pointers.

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