I’m in Athens, capital city of Greece and historic birthplace of democracy, the arts, education, and philosophy. What better place to get inspired to learn something new.

I speak here tomorrow for a multi-national audience. And you know, I used to feel intimidated by such groups, focused on all I didn’t know about their respective countries, cultures, and lives. But time and experience have taught me that the similarities are far more relevant than the differences. And the unfamiliar can be understood through association and exploration.

Medieval scribes in Western Europe translated Latin texts, a language they studied. But when they came upon a Greek passage or quote, which they didn’t know, they labeled it, “Greek. Cannot be understood.” Over time, the expression “Greek to me” became widely synonymous with “unintelligible.” Shakespeare even used it in his play, Julius Caesar.

Certainly, there is much we don’t know. However the tools for discovery have never been more powerful. If you are motivated to learn, you can find the familiar and demystify the new.

The world works on universal principles, so excellence and understanding in one area usually offers applications in others. When you lead with curiosity, asking “what is this like?,” you will make connections, and the fuzzy comes into familiar focus.

And where you are clueless, technology provides answers you’re seeking. Searches, tutorial videos, translation, and large language models have all but removed our excuses for ignorance. It still takes work to apply, but people with experience can help shorten your learning curve.

In a very real sense, everything now is new, as the Greek proverb teaches: “It is impossible to step into the same river twice.” Meaning, yesterday’s water is long past. But you can be present and at ease in the flow of newness.

So when it’s “Greek to you,” remember you always know enough to get started. Expand your capacity for new questions, connections, and learning. Until next week, stay Off Balance On Purpose.