I’ve discovered a really old and pervasive narrative of distraction in myself. It's a kind of alarm that goes off whenever my ego is trying to avoid something it perceives as too challenging, too uncomfortable, or too difficult. It usually comes as a phrase that sounds perfectly rational, backed up by “evidence” from past experiences. But the evidence is always distorted, filtered through the mind’s habitual patterns.
For me, the phrase is almost always: I already know that. Or its action-oriented cousin: I already did that. When this shows up, I’ve learned to pay attention not to the content itself, but to the feelings attached to it. That’s the clearest signal that resistance is present.
Resistance is fine. It’s expected. It’s welcome. What matters is being present with it, unconditionally acknowledging it, and not mistaking it as a reason to avoid action.
For example, I’ve lived with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) since I was 16. Over the years, my mind has catalogued every doctor, supplement, diet, and program I’ve tried, weaving it into a very convincing-sounding story: “You’ve already done this. You already know. This [insert latest thing here] won’t work.”
And that's just human. Our brains are wired to be efficient, to maintain cohesion, and to protect us from perceived failure. So when I was intuitively compelled to participate in a new, wholistic program with gut specialists — something I hadn’t planned at all — my mind panicked:
“You’re spending all this money! You already tried this diet! You've already done a ton of nervous system/psychological stuff! You're a coach, for pity's sake! You already know how this works. What the crap are you doing?!”
And yet, even though I had been doing a version of this diet on my own, through pariticipation in this new progranm, I discovered I had only gotten the diet about 85-90% right. I had glossed over the crucial details and the subtleties that made the diet truly effective in the long-term. My mind had filled in the gaps with what it thought should be there, creating a story that felt complete but wasn’t accurate.
That’s what resistance often looks like: a fancy costume for fear. It’s a narrative that says, "I already know that," when in reality it’s a story your mind tells to avoid the possibility of failure, discomfort, or the unknown. The deeper you go into self-inquiry, the more you notice it.
The mind abhors gaps. It will fill in what it doesn’t know with approximations, assumptions, and what feels familiar. Recognizing this is liberating. It removes the heavy sense of personal responsibility for what your mind does automatically. You can take responsibility for your life and your choices while acknowledging that you don’t control the machinery of the mind — and that’s okay.
The takeaway: even when you think you already know something, you might not. There are gaps, blind spots, and nuances waiting to be discovered. In my opinion, a humble, curious, skeptical approach toward your own narratives is one of the most valuable practices there is. Ultimately, it’s about aligning as closely as possible with truth, cutting through the mind’s stories, and feeling life directly as it unfolds.
So here’s the invitation:
Notice where your own I Already Know That stories are showing up. Where are you resisting or avoiding exploring something because you believe you’ve already done it, or you already know, or it “didn’t work” before?
Ask yourself:
Did I truly do this diet/program/course/relationship, etc. exactly as intended, or did I gloss over parts my mind didn’t want to engage with?
What part of this might be worth revisiting from where I am now, as a different person with different resources, knowledge, and awareness?
What am I afraid of if I explore this again?
Don't get me wrong: maybe some things are closed for good — trust your gut on that. But if something sparks curiosity, allow yourself to explore it without ego as your guide. Be willing to experiment, question, and see what value might still be there for you now.
I'll leave you with these final questions to consider:
What is it in your life that you didn’t give a fair shot to?
What have you flatly dismissed because you thought you already knew?
What could be waiting for you now if you approached it with openness, curiosity, and honesty?