I believe that a key component to staying engaged in “the third act” is a willingness to keep learning. There is so much to learn after all and with all of the available possibilities, it takes some serious reflection time to figure out what to tackle next. It’s fun to review the options especially when the topic fits into the category of “fun” or “interesting”. There are however other topics that one “must” learn and some of these topics clearly do not fit into the category of “fun” or “interesting”. And so it was with this understanding (that not all learning is fun or interesting) that I braced myself and decided to begin my 2016 learning journey by stepping into the experience of upgrading my computer to Windows 10. After all, “how hard could it be”?

My first clue to the answer of “how hard could it be” should have been the perky welcome screens that kept popping up telling me that “my computer was compatible”, that my upgrade was “waiting for me”, that “I would soon to be able to appreciate the benefits”, etc., etc., etc.  I’ve learned in the past that these slogans are code, sent forth to soften me up, encouraging me to drop my skepticism, make me believe somehow that upgrading an operating system is akin to a walk in the park. I’d been deflecting these welcome screens for some months. Putting off “the learning”, so to speak. But, then again, I want to be known as someone who keeps learning, someone who is not afraid of the unknown. My zeal made my drive right past the signs.

Before I regale you with the tale of my upgrade experience, I want to introduce a relevant concept that I have been thinking about (and been observing) for some time now. It’s called “the curse of knowledge”. I first came across this phrase in the excellent book “Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath. While the phenomenon is originally framed in the context of economics, the Heath brothers expand the interpretation this way:

“Lots of research in economics and psychology shows that when we know something, it becomes hard for us to imagine not knowing it. As a result, we become lousy communicators. Think of a lawyer who can’t give you a straight, comprehensible answer to a legal question. His vast knowledge and experience renders him unable to fathom how little you know. So when he talks to you, he talks in abstractions that you can’t follow. And we’re all like the lawyer in our own domain of expertise.”

The important concept here is “when we know something, it becomes hard for us to imagine not knowing it”. And we could add, we basically think that everyone knows it. The example above references lawyers as demonstrating this but I want to state clearly my belief that software developers have a particular penchant for this malady. I would go so far as to say that they have a gift for it. So here goes…..

You’d think “they” could give you some idea of just how long this could take. I get that it is hard for them to know exactly “how long” given the realities of different computers and broadband speeds, but come on, give me some kind of clue here. Can I expect 30 minutes, 2 hours, all day? How much time will I be trapped in what I can only describe as “upgrade purgatory”? But no, they gave me nothing. They probably expect you to remember how long it took last time. Curse of knowledge. But hey, I’m a learner, so in spite of not knowing how long I would be in purgatory, I pressed, “DOWNLOAD”.

Having upgraded before I have to say that the graphics were prettier this time around. Friendlier. Softer. The download bells and whistles seem to give off that sense that “all is well”. “Fear not”. “Check back with us in a while (few minutes, few hours, tomorrow?)”. “Go get on with your life while we take care of rearranging your entire life!” Eventually I was presented with a screen, well two screens actually, telling me that the download was complete and in order to continue with the install I needed to restart. Why two screens telling me this? Do they both do the same thing? I would think so. Well, no. (Curse of Knowledge) I selected one, and when the computer came back from restart, I was informed that the installation could not be completed and that I was being sent back to square one. (Still in purgatory). Obviously I should have known which screen to select. Argh. Several deep breaths, reminding myself that I am a learner, and I once again, selected DOWNLOAD. (At least this time I knew an approximate “purgatory download time” and I could once again be treated to messages informing me of how happy I would be when this was all done).

This time all went well and I was informed that everything was complete and that everything would be exactly where I had left off. (Everything you say.  Knowing what I know about the curse of knowledge should I be nervous about them using the word “everything”?)  Was I about to stay in “upgrade purgatory” or was I about to enter “Dante’s Inferno”?

Stay tuned…