The Power of I Don’t Knows

In the early 80s, one man’s nightmare became another’s dream.
Metallica kicked out their guitarist Dave Mustaine.
Handed him a bus ticket back to San Francisco. Goodbye.

The same day, they picked a new guy. Kirk Hammett.
Barely in his twenties. Unknown. Playing in a small band called Exodus. Suddenly, he was in Metallica.
A few days later, he was on stage with them.

Imagine. One of the hottest underground bands takes you in.
You’re living the dream.
Most people would stop there. “I made it.”

But Kirk didn’t do that.
He went home. Looked in the mirror. And realized something humbling.
He wasn’t good enough.
At least, not as good as he wanted to be.

So he found a teacher. Not just any teacher.
Joe Satriani! The guy who trained guitar prodigies.
The guy who would later become a legend himself.

For two years, Kirk studied. Weekly lessons. Brutal feedback. Lots of homework.

He kept working on technique and musical theory.
Soon he'd be on stage playing before hundreds of thousands of people.

Metallica would go on to sell over 100 million albums, making them one of the most successful bands in history.

That humility, choosing to be a student when the world was already calling him a star, made Kirk one of the greatest guitarists alive.

Had he thought “I’ve arrived,” we’d probably never know his name. Just another forgotten 80s guitarist.

The Trap of “I Know”
One of the biggest roadblocks I see for chess lovers who can’t improve is arrogance.

It’s the endless stream of “I know.”

During a livestream, a Grandmaster shares his idea on openings. In the chat, amateurs reply:
“This is bullshit. The best opening is the London. Or the Danish Gambit.”

A famous coach writes an article on the importance of positional chess and how to study it.
Among the “thank you”s, there are plenty of comments from 1,000-rated players:
“Wrong. All you need is tactics.”
(This you can see a lot, especially on Lichess! I don’t know why…)

Under a puzzle captioned “For 2600+ players,” Grandmasters praise its beauty and difficulty.
Meanwhile, a crowd jumps in to trash the author:
“Too easy!” They post their “solution.” And of course it’s wrong.

I know the best opening.
I know what to study.
I know how to play in endgames.
I know…

This mindset is what stops so many players from getting better.

What Counts Are the “I Don’t Knows”
Now, don’t get me wrong. Of course, knowing is fine. You’ve studied, you’ve played, you’ve learned. Some things you really do know.

But here’s the key:
Along with your “I knows” you must always keep some “I don’t knows.”

Because the moment you run out of “I don’t knows,” your growth ends.
Curiosity dies. Learning stops.

Kirk Hammett knew plenty. He was already skilled enough to impress. That’s why Metallica picked him.
But he also carried a pocket full of “I don’t knows.”
That’s why he went to Joe Satriani.
That’s why he kept rising.

Chess is the same. The players who improve fastest are the ones who admit:
“I don’t know my openings well.”
“I don’t know how to play the endgames.”
“I don’t know what to study next.”

That’s not weakness. That’s strength.

The Fuel That Keeps You Rising
Whether it’s music, chess, or life… It’s not the “I knows” that shapes you.
It’s the quiet honesty of “I don’t knows.”

“I don’t know” is what keeps you humble when success arrives.
“I don’t know” is what keeps you curious when arrogance whispers “you’ve made it.”
“I don’t know” is what keeps you rising.

Stay open. Stay searching.
Because your “I don’t knows” aren’t limits.
They’re the very fuel that takes you higher.

With best wishes and love,
For your growth and fun journey,
GM Avetik (or Avo, as my friends call me) ♥️

P. S. I’m just a FedEx guy, delivering lessons from my teachers to you.
If this message spoke to you and you know someone who might love or need this… share the package. That’s how knowledge travels, one package at a time.

Thank you for reading, for growing, and for helping someone else along the way. 🙏

Recommended reading:

“Ego Is the Enemy” by Ryan Holiday (where I first found the Kirk Hammett story)
“Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind” by Shunryu Suzuki