This week, we've been having fun talking about the things that adults just pretend to understand. We've had some good examples, like wine, thermostats, and taxes, but I want to end with one more thing that sort of encompasses the entire phenomenon. I will do that right after this.

Adults pretend to know what they're doing. One of the strangest moments in adulthood is realizing that most people are improvising and making it up as they go. They are faking it until they make it, you know. As kids, adults seem so certain. The teachers, executives, parents, business owners, and preachers all appear like they understand exactly how the world works. And then you grow up and realize most people are making decisions with incomplete information and hoping that they're approximately right. All of us do it, and we need to stop. Quit pretending.