Sitting in a packed classroom, the professor races through the material, assuming everyone’s on the same page. Confusion paints the faces around me, but I don’t notice; I’m too busy breaking the silence, asking clarifying questions loudly. I’m not afraid to admit I don’t know everything. That’s who I am — I’ll ask questions and strive to understand the material, even if it means asking someone to explain it in different ways.

It baffles me when people thank me for asking questions because they didn’t understand either. I usually crack a joke and move on, but in my mind, I wonder, ‘Why couldn’t they ask the question?’ I’ve come to realize that people fear sounding stupid if they ask a question. We all assume everyone else understands and would rather be lost than dare to ask a question in public. To be blunt, that’s what makes us stupid — not asking the question but letting the fear of looking stupid prevent us from gaining clarification.

Oddly enough, I’m grateful my mother called me ignorant my entire life. This ingrained belief that I’m stupid (even though I know I’m not) erases the fear of sounding stupid. I ask all the questions so I won’t be stupid. People mocked me in my younger years for asking questions, but my comeback was, ‘How do you expect me not to be stupid if I don’t ask questions?’ That usually shut them up.

The purpose of this post is to encourage you not to care what others think and to gain the knowledge you need to understand. Recently joining X (Twitter), I realized most of my posts are questions. Most of the time, I receive wonderful feedback and truly learn. Even when people explain things over my head, I continue asking questions until I understand.

With over 2000+ friends, none seem to mind my questions, especially since I’m new to software engineering. Yes, a couple of people have been jerks, but will you let a couple of jerks stop you from becoming powerful? ‘Knowledge itself is power,’ wrote Francis Bacon in his work Meditationes Sacrae (1597).

So, don’t let fear and others stop you from gaining power. I’ve witnessed many people in my life stop learning once they leave high school, believing they know everything when, in reality, they barely know anything. The challenge is to be the exception, ask those questions, and gain your power. Get your power over knowledge and fear.

If you’re interested in Software Engineering or anything else join me on X at @thedevbek where I ask all the questions. I’m trying to catch up on all the years I let fear hinder my growth, so come join the friendship circle.