Have you looked under the chickens?
Have you looked under the chickens(ˈCHikən)?
By Derek Sivers
One of the problems with being an expert at something, is you forget| what it’s like| to not know the basics(ˈbāsik).
Because I like being very easy to contact(ˈkänˌtakt), I get all kinds of questions about the music business| and entrepreneurship(ˌäntrəprəˈnərˌSHip).
Some of them| are so basic, I’m almost stumped(stəmp)!
It’s like someone asks you, “I’ve got this henhouse(ˈhenˌhous) full of chickens, but I don’t see any eggs. What should I do?”
You think, “Hmmm… Maybe it’s a strange disease(dəˈzēz)? Maybe the chickens are old? Maybe it’s temperature(-ˌCHo͝or,ˈtemp(ə)rəCHər)?”
Before getting complicated(ˈkämpləˌkātid), you dare(de(ə)r) to ask the obvious(ˈäbvēəs), “Uh… have you looked under the chickens?”
You hear a pause(pôz), and then: “Hey! There they are! Wow! I never thought of that! Thanks so much!”
Computer technicians(tekˈniSHən), plumbers(ˈpləmər)| and doctors| must have this more than anyone.
I like getting these questions, though. They’re a good reminder(riˈmīndər)| of beginner’s mind. I try to remember all the questions| I must have asked| when I was just getting started.