The How and the Why

by Anet Paulina

This quote (attributed to musician David Lee Roth) was introduced to me several years ago by an unusually insightful 12-year-old girl, and it resurfaces in my mind periodically. I am not sure I agree with it completely, as I have often observed those who know how as being more outwardly successful in the world than those who know why. People who know how to accomplish things effectively often are not motivated to figure out why their methods work; they simply accept that they do. It is those of us who have difficulty manifesting our desires through conventional means that seem more compelled to investigate the mechanics of creation.

On my own twelfth birthday I was in seventh grade (almost the youngest member of my class) and was among the small group who had been selected to take introductory physics a year early. Within a few weeks it was apparent to my teacher that I understood physics concepts better than any other student taking the course, and my grades were consistently the highest. In the spring I was presented with the outstanding achievement award for introductory physics, besting all the eighth graders. But that is not the significant part of this story. What is most memorable is that in our weekly laboratory experiments (which were not graded), not once did I perform an entire procedure completely correctly! I am reasonably certain I was the only student in my class for whom this was true. The fact that I knew why helped little in the area of how. I noticed, however, that after botching the experiments in numerous ways, I understood the physics concepts even better than I had before.

It has occurred to me more than a few times that my life since seventh grade has not been unlike that science class. Even with an understanding (innate, learned, or a combination of the two) of the why of much of what occurs in life, I often find the how to be challenging. There are many things that come easily to me, but getting from point A to point B often is not one of them! Years ago I discovered that I have a paradoxical tendency to choose to go the wrong way first. When approaching a street without knowing whether I should turn left or right, I noticed that if I felt the correct direction most likely was right, I would feel compelled to go left. After investigating that route, I would then turn around and go the other way, eventually reaching my destination but certainly not in an efficient manner.

For a long time it confounded me as to why I habitually chose the option that was less likely to have my preferred outcome. After consistent self-examination, I realized there were two reasons: so I can be sure I am not missing anything, and to allow for the chance of discovering a better way. If I always do things in a manner I am reasonably certain will work, I close off opportunities to find a more effective, efficient, or simpler method. The way to ensure I am making the best choice is to explore the other possibilities before trying the one that initially seems most likely to work. By the time I take the optimum route, I understand why it is the best way.

This habit is particularly persistent in me, but it is not unique; I have observed many others choosing inappropriate options before settling on one they are satisfied with. Perhaps it is time for us to recognize that these “mistakes” are part of the process that allows us to discover the why of reality creation. The understanding we gain places us far beyond where we would have been if we had chosen to focus only on the how.