The Power of I Don’t Know | by Jennifer Slukynsky

There’s a strange kind of pressure—internal, cultural, sometimes invisible—that makes us want to have the answer. Any answer. Especially when we’re asked directly. Especially when we care.

But here’s something worth learning: 

             “I don’t know” can be one of the most powerful things you ever say.

It’s not defeat. It’s not a flaw.
It’s a declaration of openness.

A Space with Room to Grow

Saying I don’t know isn’t giving up—it’s clearing space.

It’s you, standing still in a world that rushes ahead, choosing reflection over reaction. It’s permission to ask better questions, to listen longer, to try differently. It’s the space where curiosity lives.

When we admit what we don’t know, we start to notice all the things we can learn.

Not knowing is honest. It’s vulnerable. And it’s wildly underrated.

The Myth of the Answer Person

You know that person who always seems to have it figured out? Yeah—me too. 

The truth is, always having an answer can make you miss the point. It can keep you locked into old ideas, inherited narratives, and unchallenged assumptions. It can make you seem confident on the outside while keeping you disconnected inside.

Knowing everything closes doors.
Not knowing cracks them open.

Letting Wonder Lead

There’s something refreshing about starting from “I don’t know.” You stop pretending. You start wondering. You become a student again.

• I don’t know what’s next.

• I don’t know what this means yet.

• I don’t know how to fix it, but I’m here to try.

These are the thoughts that make room for connection, innovation, and actual magic.

Final Thought

The world doesn’t need more certainty. It needs more people brave enough to pause, admit they’re unsure, and still keep going.

So the next time you feel the pressure to come up with an answer—try this instead:

             “I don’t know ... yet.”

And then see what happens when you let curiosity take the wheel.