I have absolutely no idea about space exploration. I'm a software

Hear the words of Naveen Jain, entrepreneur of bold vision, who declared: “I have absolutely no idea about space exploration. I’m a software guy. But because I’m a non-expert, I’ve been able to bring the software concept of modularity into the space sector, which was never done before.” In this statement lies a truth as old as human progress: it is often the outsider, unchained by tradition, who sees with fresh eyes what the insider has overlooked. The man who claims ignorance may, in humility, open doors that the learned, blinded by habit, could never perceive.

The origin of this quote rests in Jain’s journey from the world of software into the realm of space exploration. Trained not in rockets nor in orbital mechanics, he carried instead the mindset of a programmer, one who builds complex systems from simple, interchangeable parts. Where the engineers of the space sector clung to vast and monolithic structures, Jain introduced the idea of modularity—designing systems as separate, replaceable components. It was a vision born not of expertise in space, but of wisdom gathered elsewhere. Thus, his ignorance in one field became his strength, for it freed him from the prison of convention.

History is filled with such moments, when the non-expert reshaped entire worlds. Consider Johannes Gutenberg, a goldsmith by trade, who knew little of books and manuscripts. Yet by applying the principles of metalwork, he birthed the printing press, and with it, the age of knowledge. Or think of the Wright brothers, bicycle makers who had never studied aeronautics formally, yet whose fresh perspective allowed them to conquer the skies. So too with Naveen Jain: by daring to step where he was not trained, he brought transformation.

The meaning of this saying runs deep. It reminds us that the chains of expertise are double-edged. Expertise brings knowledge, but it may also bring rigidity, the belief that what has always been must always be. The non-expert, standing outside the walls, sees paths the expert has dismissed as impossible. This is why progress often comes from the edge, not the center; from the daring dreamer, not the cautious keeper of tradition. In Jain’s case, the outsider’s mind brought a concept as simple as modularity into a field that had long resisted it, shaking loose new possibilities.

There is also in his words a call to courage. To admit, “I have absolutely no idea about space exploration,” and yet to step boldly into it, requires both humility and audacity. Too many souls wait until they feel qualified, until the world grants them permission. But the truth is this: the greatest breakthroughs often come when the unqualified dare to act, when those who are untrained in the old ways bring forth the new. The path of the non-expert is not easy, but it is often the most fertile.

The lesson, then, is clear: do not let lack of expertise keep you from contributing to the world’s great endeavors. Bring what you know, from whatever field you come, and apply it boldly to new domains. Do not despise your outsider’s perspective—it may be the very key needed to unlock progress. In this way, you become like Jain, Gutenberg, or the Wright brothers, standing not as imitators of the old, but as creators of the new.

So take action, O listener. Ask yourself: what wisdom do I carry from my own path that the world has not yet seen? Where can I step boldly, even if I am not an expert? Embrace your ignorance, not as weakness, but as the soil of innovation. For the world does not advance only by those who know, but also by those who dare despite not knowing. And remember always the words of Naveen Jain: “Because I’m a non-expert, I’ve been able to bring something new.” Let this truth guide you, and you too may change the course of human destiny.