Learn how to say, “I don’t know” and you will grow much more quickly as a person.
First of all, if you can say you don’t know something, you’re being honest with yourself. You won’t spend hours (or longer) toiling, trying to figure something out when you could have asked somebody and gotten an answer immediately. There’s an idea amongst many great entrepreneurs that “failing faster” will lead to quicker success. That is because you are gaining more experience and learning what not to do by attempting (and sometimes failing) more frequently. For example, if it really did take Thomas Edison 1,000 tries to invent a successful lightbulb, would he have been better off attempting those 1,000 tries over one year or ten years? Speed up your learning curve by failing quickly and being able to say to others “I don’t know.”
Secondly, when you say “I don’t know,” you’re showing a vulnerability that makes you more approachable and likable to others. Most people like helping others because it allows them to show their value. It makes them feel good about themselves by providing their expertise on something.
Third, by saying “I don’t know,” it will increase your credibility. If you act like a know-it-all and give a response without actually knowing the answer, everything you say will be more likely to be questioned. Whereas if you say “I don’t know” frequently, when you do give a response, others can feel confident that you didn’t make up an answer due to being fearful of looking dumb. Your ego is the enemy. Don’t let it stand in your way.