We are all masters of patterns. Every day, every moment, we move through a cycle.
We recognize patterns in the world around us.
We match new experiences and information to our patterns.
We build new patterns from the combination of new data and existing patterns.
Gaining mastery of a domain means that we have developed an enormous group of patterns, structured, networked, layered, fractal, recursive. The largest patterns allow one to achieve the simplicity on the other side of complexity.
But we can also be trapped by our patterns. When new information arrives that doesn’t fit, and cognitive dissonance ensues, we only have two choices: change our pattern or deny the information. Changing the pattern is hard. And the deeper the expertise, the more difficult it is. But intellectual honesty demands that we take the hard path. Reframe. Revise our patterns.