Shoemaker's Son Always Walks Barefoot

The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.

Leonardo da Vinci

There's an old adage that goes, "The shoemaker's son always goes barefoot." This saying, often used to highlight the irony that experts sometimes fail to apply their skills for their own benefit, serves as a poignant metaphor for a broader human condition: our frequent inability to recognize or address problems in our own lives, even when we are adept at solving similar issues for others.

This phenomenon isn't limited to any one profession or area of expertise. From psychologists who struggle with personal relationships to financial advisors with disorganized finances, the examples are as varied as they are puzzling (you can find several of them at the end of this post). So, why do we often fail to see what's so apparent from the outside looking in?

Cognitive Dissonance and Emotional Investment

One key factor is cognitive dissonance—the discomfort experienced when holding two conflicting thoughts or beliefs simultaneously. When we are personally involved in a situation, our emotional investment can cloud our judgment, making it difficult to see the most logical course of action. This emotional involvement can lead to denial or rationalization, preventing us from recognizing issues that might be clear to an external observer. That is why it is easier to provide objective solutions for others than for ourselves. Several people simply draw a line between their professional expertise and their personal lives, leading to a dichotomy where skills don't cross over.

The Curse of Knowledge

Experts sometimes experience the curse of knowledge— a cognitive bias that occurs when someone who knows a lot about a topic has trouble understanding what it's like not to know it. This makes it difficult for experts to explain their knowledge in simple terms. Such an issue can also cause them to make their own problems more complicated than necessary, simply because they know so much.

The Forest for the Trees

Closely related to the curse of knowledge is the idiom of not seeing the forest for the trees. When we are deeply involved in a situation, we often focus too much on the details, losing sight of the bigger picture. This tunnel vision can prevent us from identifying simple solutions or recognizing the root cause of our problems.

Familiarity Breeds Contempt

Another factor is the phenomenon where familiarity breeds a loss of sensitivity. When we are too close to a situation or have been dealing with it for too long, we might become desensitized to its problems or overly comfortable with the status quo. Familiarity with a subject can lead to a kind of “complacency”. This complacency can hinder our ability to approach our issues with the fresh perspective necessary for effective problem-solving.  Therefore, experts might feel that their personal situation doesn't require the same attention they give to their clients or others.

Overconfidence

Finally, overconfidence can play a significant role. Experts in particular might believe that their knowledge and skills exempt them from the kinds of issues others face. This overconfidence can lead to a lack of self-examination or the belief that they don't need help, further exacerbating the problem.

Moving Forward: Recognizing and Addressing Our Blind Spots

Acknowledging that we have blind spots is the first step toward overcoming them. Seeking feedback from others, maintaining a learner's mindset, and periodically stepping back to assess our situation from a broader perspective can help. Sometimes, consulting with a peer or hiring an expert in our own field can provide the external viewpoint necessary to identify and address the issues we've overlooked.

Some Bold Examples

Integrating famous examples into our discussion illuminates the paradox with concrete instances from various domains, further underscoring the universal nature of this phenomenon.

Steve Jobs and Health Management: Jobs revolutionized technology and the way we interact with the world around us. Yet, when it came to his own health, he initially chose alternative treatments over conventional medicine for his pancreatic cancer, a decision that may have cost him precious time in fighting the disease. This juxtaposition of pioneering technological advancements with personal health management choices underscores the complexity of applying professional logic to personal situations.

Albert Einstein and Personal Relationships: Einstein's contributions to theoretical physics are unparalleled, yet his personal life was marked by complexities and difficulties in relationships. His marriages and family life were fraught with challenges, reflecting a dissonance between his intellectual brilliance and his ability to navigate intimate relationships. This dichotomy highlights the challenge of applying one's genius in a personal context, where emotional intelligence plays a crucial role.

Martha Stewart and Financial Integrity: Stewart built a brand synonymous with domestic perfection and ethical homemaking. However, her conviction for insider trading starkly contrasted with her public persona, presenting a clear divide between personal conduct and professional image. This incident reflects the broader theme of maintaining ethical consistency across all areas of one's life, a task that proves challenging even for those who set standards in their fields.

F. Scott Fitzgerald and Financial Stability: Fitzgerald, celebrated for his literary depictions of the opulence and excess of the Jazz Age, struggled with financial instability and alcoholism throughout much of his life. His personal struggles stand in sharp contrast to the glittering success of his characters and highlight the ironies of seeking happiness and fulfillment in wealth and fame.

Leonardo da Vinci and Unfinished Works: Leonardo, an archetype of the Renaissance Man, was notorious for leaving projects unfinished, including some of his most famous commissions. Despite his incomparable genius in art, science, and engineering, Leonardo's tendency to abandon projects or linger over them for years underscores a universal challenge: the gap between vision and execution, and the difficulty in realizing one's full potential in every endeavor.

The Connection to Innovation

In the quest for groundbreaking innovation, there's a compelling irony in the tendency of experts and innovators to seek complex, far-reaching solutions, often overlooking the simplest answers lying just under their noses. This inclination also echoes the essence of "The shoemaker's son always goes barefoot," reminding us that sometimes, the most profound innovations stem from addressing the most basic, immediate problems. By focusing on grand challenges, we may bypass the low-hanging fruit that could offer immediate, impactful improvements to our lives and work.

Recognizing and addressing these simple, nearby solutions can not only solve immediate problems but also pave the way for larger-scale innovations. This approach encourages a more grounded, practical form of creativity, where the seeds of major breakthroughs are often found in the simplicity and accessibility of solutions we initially overlook. It's a reminder that innovation doesn't always have to come from the next big idea; sometimes, it's about seeing the value in the simplest of solutions right in front of us.

To Sum Up…

The saying that the shoemaker's son often walks barefoot highlights an ironic and profound truth about human nature: having expertise in a particular area does not necessarily protect one from neglecting that same expertise in personal situations. This paradox underscores the complex interplay between knowledge, self-awareness, and the application of skills. It serves as a stark reminder that proficiency in a field doesn't automatically guard against the very human tendencies to overlook what we are closest to or take our own capabilities for granted.

Understanding why this dissonance occurs is crucial. More importantly, actively striving to overcome such tendencies allows us to harness our abilities not only in the service of others but also to our advantage.  In doing so, we can achieve a fuller realization of our potential, benefiting both ourselves and those around us in more effective and meaningful ways.