I have ever read an article about a successful business man, whom how he really started off his first business in computer support, is to simply read the user manuals.

Because he actually reads the user manuals, he unknowingly become very versed with every thing the computer can throw at him. First friends and family started to ask him for help, and eventually, strangers starting to ask for his service. And seeing this as an opportunity, he started a computer support business, and it just grows and grows. Now he is in a different business; I forgot his name, and who he was – but I can’t forget his story.

The very fact that, just by carefully reading the user manuals that were painstakingly created by the engineers, you can actually be really good at something, which most of the world just can’t be bother with.

Why this resonates with me so strongly, its because, it is in my nature to NOT read the user manuals. I have the innate unwarranted “pride” and “ego” to just assume I am genius enough to figure out everything on my own. And that these little pointless victories in figuring out everything on my own, gave my useless ego boosts. And of course, we can’t really figure out everything, and most of the time, we aren’t even fully understood certain things. In the end, I just become a jack; not a master.

Many of us are guilty of this. How many of us actually reads every word and sentence of the terms & conditions we casually agree to? How many of us are excited about reading the user manuals of the new tech gadgets or electronics that we bought? I doubt many of us does. I definitely do not have that habit. Similarly, how many of us bothers to read more into our business arena, industries standards, laws and regulations, government grants and requirements, process & procedures – everything, in plain details of how it was presented to us; or in just a simple click of our mouse button.

I feel that, its time to ditch this stupid pride; and start reading and learning – to truly learn and understand.

And perhaps, I can become a better man.