--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know what I don't know. To this day, I…" description: "\"I know what I don't know. To this day, I don't know technology, and I don't know finance or accounting.\" — Bernard Ebbers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d71/bernard-ebbers-26932_accounting_i-know-what-i-don-t-know-to-this-day-i-d_1725997.png" --- # I know what I don't know. To this day, I don't know… ![“I know what I don't know. To this day, I don't know technology, and I don't know finance or accounting.” quote by Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d71/bernard-ebbers-26932_accounting_i-know-what-i-don-t-know-to-this-day-i-d_1725997.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d71/bernard-ebbers-26932_accounting_i-know-what-i-don-t-know-to-this-day-i-d_1725997.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d71/bernard-ebbers-26932_accounting_i-know-what-i-don-t-know-to-this-day-i-d_1725997.png) > “I know what I don't know. To this day, I don't know technology, and I don't know finance or accounting.” [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He admits ignorance in key fields, highlighting humility and the limits of expertise. **In simple terms:** He doesn’t know tech or finance. Key Takeaway Acknowledge what you don’t know. Themes humility self awareness learning Mood reflective cautious Type personal leadership When to use this quote - leadership - decision making - risk management Key Concepts knowledge gaps continuous education Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to fill your knowledge gaps? - How do you leverage others’ expertise? A Different Perspective Admitting ignorance may undermine confidence; expertise can be delegated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Finance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finance/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know about technology and I don't know about finance and accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/i-don-t-know-about-technology-and-i-don-t-know-about-finance-and/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [I don't know technology and engineering. I don't know accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/i-don-t-know-technology-and-engineering-i-don-t-know-accounting/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [I don't really enjoy finance and accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-branson/i-don-t-really-enjoy-finance-and-accounting/) [Holly Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-branson/) > [The problem with most failing businesses is not that their owners don?t know enough about finance, marketing, management, and operations - they don?t, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/the-problem-with-most-failing-businesses-is-not-that-their-owners-don/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) > [I, by no stretch of the imagination, know anything about finance. Period. Nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myha-la/i-by-no-stretch-of-the-imagination-know-anything-about-finance-period/) [Myha'la](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myha-la/) > [I have millions of dollars, and I don't know finance. I've had some bad things happen in my career. I've got to educate myself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bosh/i-have-millions-of-dollars-and-i-don-t-know-finance-i-ve-had-some-bad/) [Chris Bosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bosh/) > [I know how to finance something. It's easier today because, as you're more successful, everybody wants to do deals with you. But even in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/i-know-how-to-finance-something-it-s-easier-today-because-as-you-re/) [Tilman J. 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Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [We all know that technology has advanced to the point of watching TV online.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rash/we-all-know-that-technology-has-advanced-to-the-point-of-watching-tv/) [Jim Rash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rash/) > [I know about technology, about research, scientific applications, culture, civilization, differences between nations of the world, the nature of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-morsi/i-know-about-technology-about-research-scientific-applications/) [Mohammed Morsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-morsi/) > [My Grand ma Has been around for so many year: but I know technology more than her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist/my-grand-ma-has-been-around-for-so-many-year-but-i-know-technology/) Simphiwe Scientist > [I don't know much about technology anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcafee/i-don-t-know-much-about-technology-anymore/) [John McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcafee/) > [I do know a lot about Scientology. And I know about the practices. I know all about what the technology is and all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/i-do-know-a-lot-about-scientology-and-i-know-about-the-practices-i/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > [I know nothing about technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/i-know-nothing-about-technology/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Whereas science elicits changes in order to know, technology knows in order to elicit changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/whereas-science-elicits-changes-in-order-to-know-technology-knows-in/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) ## More by Bernard Ebbers > [I used practically all the money I had available.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/i-used-practically-all-the-money-i-had-available/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [I wasn't ever advised by Scott Sullivan of anything ever being wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/i-wasn-t-ever-advised-by-scott-sullivan-of-anything-ever-being-wrong/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [We were a fast-growing company, and I was a demanding boss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/we-were-a-fast-growing-company-and-i-was-a-demanding-boss/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [The strength in our third-quarter financial results is cause for excitement. I'm particularly pleased that we continue to demonstrate impressive growth at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/the-strength-in-our-third-quarter-financial-results-is-cause-for/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [Our investments in data, Internet and international have been particularly timely and have positioned the company to post industry-leading incremental revenue gains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/our-investments-in-data-internet-and-international-have-been/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [The coachs job is to get the best players and get them to play together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/the-coachs-job-is-to-get-the-best-players-and-get-them-to-play/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [I guess the one question I will not get today is: When are you going to do anything about cellular?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/i-guess-the-one-question-i-will-not-get-today-is-when-are-you-going/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [We accelerated our capital spending in the fourth quarter, particularly in international and next-generation network deployment, which should not only sustain future revenue growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/we-accelerated-our-capital-spending-in-the-fourth-quarter/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [I was a pretty good coach and working with marketing was like coaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/i-was-a-pretty-good-coach-and-working-with-marketing-was-like-coaching/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [Well, you have to understand where we came from. 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Resort to inner happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/outer-happiness-has-diminishing-marginal-utility-the-more-it-grows/) [Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/) > [Regulations for international accounting and funding will have to be examined to identify policies that inadvertently discourage institutional investors from putting their resources into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-angel-gurria/regulations-for-international-accounting-and-funding-will-have-to-be/) [Jose Angel Gurria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-angel-gurria/) > [There is no business like show business. There is also no business like certified public accounting, but that doesn't rhyme as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-shaw-gardner/there-is-no-business-like-show-business-there-is-also-no-business/) Craig Shaw Gardner > [“With great goals, comes the high costs; both fixed and variable. 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When acquisition costs are similar, we much prefer to purchase $2 of earnings that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/accounting-consequences-do-not-influence-our-operating-or-capital/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [By their victory, the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions and other units of the Fifth Amphibious Corps have made an accounting to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/by-their-victory-the-3rd-4th-and-5th-marine-divisions-and-other-units/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [“Invest in self-improvement, be it for learning, be it for earning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/invest-in-self-improvement-be-it-for-learning-be-it-for-earning/) [Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/) > [“In the race to scale a startup, overlooking financial planning is like to building a skyscraper on shaky ground. True growth stems from decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-hishmeh/in-the-race-to-scale-a-startup-overlooking-financial-planning-is-like/) Jason Hishmeh > [One of the things that we're missing from our political dialogue right now is the idea that the United States is a home. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-miller/one-of-the-things-that-we-re-missing-from-our-political-dialogue/) [Stephen Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-miller/) > [There's no business like show business, but there are several businesses like accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-s-no-business-like-show-business-but-there-are-several/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [“Debit the knowledge; credit the books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/debit-the-knowledge-credit-the-books/) [Vikrmn: CA Vikram Verma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrmn-ca-vikram-verma/) Browse all 352 Accounting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know what I don't know. 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