Realising Your Ignorance Is The First Step You Take Towards Knowledge

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All of us, without an exception, have preconceived notions about our abilities, and have this superiority complex that varies in degree with each person. We always have a normal mirror to show others but we have a mirror for ourselves that always shows only our pluses in an exaggerated manner. We view ourselves not in a mirror but in a kaleidoscope. Those who know a little bit of something, make mountains of their molehills and show themselves as Goliaths while in reality they are as big as pebbles. Their ego happens to be bigger than their form and stature. This is every body's plight although there are exceptions, one in millions who exist to disprove this.

The Different Facets Of Ego

A doctor may think there is no other doctor who is more knowledgeable than him. A barber may also think he is the best barber on earth who missed being a top-notch executive by a whisker. Executives for that matter, may consider themselves superior to others in acumen and may even look at other executives with disdain. They seem to be highly conceited.
There may be exceptions to this as well. Some of us would be really great achievers who have realized their pluses and minuses. Totally humble, they always look forward to learning more. Despite having reached the peak of accomplishment, they still consider themselves to be novices.

Saying Of Appayya Dixita

"There is no one who is greater than me" is a common human weakness. A great pandith namely "Appayya Dixita" has expressed this in a sloka written by him.
Neetignyaa niyatignyaa vedagnyaa api bhavanti shaastragnyaaha
Brahmagnyaa api labhyaa svaagnyaana gnyaanino viralaaha
There are people who understand ethics. There are people who understand all the rules. There are those who know the Vedas and shastras. But there is hardly anyone who understands that he is ignorant.

The Yardstick Of Ignorance

These people who realize their ignorance are one in thousands. As Human beings understand what virtues they possess, they should also understand what they don't possess. Only then can he progress in the path of knowledge. Knowing that you don't know is important because it shows us our loopholes which we can fill in by knowledge. Most of us do not perceive these things. They always see some fund of knowledge in themselves which they actually do not possess.
Some of us do not like to measure ourselves with a yardstick. To them they apply a yardstick and to others, they have a different yardstick to measure. They have this ignorance about themselves and they end up as failures in life. In spite of this they do not recognize their ignorance.