Sometimes we need to be cautious about getting into action too quickly and take our time to discover the learning

“Sometimes we need to be cautious about getting into action too quickly and take our time to discover the learning.”

— Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Leonard Reese

Have you ever played checkers? How about chess or Go? How long does it usually take before you make a move?

Where do you skip aiming before you shoot in the direction of your targets? How often does being too quick on the draw get you in trouble?

Life is an iterative game in which we are constantly receiving feedback from the world around us. Without taking enough time to examine what we have learned from previous moves, we can find ourselves on the losing end of the many games we play.

EXERCISE:

In what areas of your life are you too quick to act on limited information?

Where would slowing down to embrace more teachable moments help you better navigate your world?

 

A mistake is only as valuable as the time you spend learning from it

“A mistake is only as valuable as the time you spend learning from it.”

Niklas Göke, Author of 2-Minute Pep Talks

Image from Unsplash by Daniela Holzer

How do you usually respond when someone points out a mistake you’ve made?

My first reaction is often denial or a quick “sorry,” then I put it behind me.

What happens when the person pointing out this misstep continues to mention the error of your ways?

We almost never appreciate them rubbing it in, do we?

What if rubbing it in is actually what is needed in certain situations?

Where and how would a deeper look and a bit more time to contemplate our mishaps allow a valuable lesson to sink in and stick well beyond the moment?

EXERCISE:

What are some examples of significant mistakes you have made recently or over the years?

To what degree do you take the time to let their lessons seep in and impact your future efforts?

Focus on the shot you are about to take

Focus on the shot you are about to take. The game isn’t over till it’s over.

—Calm App Reflection

My five-year-old grandson’s favorite board game is the Hershey edition of Monopoly Junior. Through his play, he is learning numerous life skills as he moves his favorite chocolate bar character around the board. He particularly enjoys rolling the dice, buying properties, passing Go to collect $2, and landing on Chance spaces to see what they reveal.

With each roll of the dice, he sees opportunities to better his chances of winning. When he is a bit behind, he often prefers the other players let him roll again and again. We are still working on good sportsmanship and taking turns.

EXERCISE:

What games are you currently playing in your personal and professional worlds?

Where are you falling behind and becoming discouraged?

How would greater focus on your next shot — and the next — turn things around?

Friday Review: Learning

Friday Review: Learning

How mindful are you of the things you are learning? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

 

 

 

“Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.”

 

 

 

“Learning is a treasure whose keys are queries.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you need to learn quickly, learn from others

“When you need to learn quickly, learn from others. When you need to learn deeply, learn from experience.”

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits

Image from Unsplash by Shiromani Kant

In what areas of your life do you consider yourself highly competent or even masterful?

What were your developmental journeys like and how long did they take?

Who were your teachers, mentors, and coaches, and how much practice did you put in to reach your current level of proficiency?

A while ago, I took my car to the shop for its annual inspection. After several hours and several hundred dollars, I was out the door with a new window sticker of approval. A few weeks later when I was out of town, the yellow manufacturer maintenance light popped on.

Knowing I was good to go, I looked up a You Tube video and three minutes later that pesky light was gone.

EXERCISE:

Who are the people in your life that help your learn things quickly?

Where do you need to put certain lessons into practice over time to develop the deeper mastery you desire?

When you are young, you have raw smarts

“When you are young, you have raw smarts; when you are old, you have wisdom.”

Arthur C. Brooks, Harvard professor, PhD social scientist, bestselling author

Image from Unsplash by Jordan Whitt

I agree with today’s quote in most cases, especially for individuals with a growth mindset and a propensity toward lifelong learning.

The pursuit of knowledge and experience takes time.

Raw smarts and wisdom build at different rates.

Consider a heavy rain as it fills a puddle versus years of rain carving a river’s path.

EXERCISE:

How has your growth and development journey evolved over the years?

Where and how have you stepped beyond acquiring raw smarts to embracing the gift of wisdom?

Man arrives as a novice at each age of his life

“Man arrives as a novice at each age of his life.”

Nicolas Chamfort, 16th Century French writer

Image from Unsplash by Jelled Vanooteghem

Watching our grandchildren grow provides us with much joy and many valuable lessons.

Babies are perhaps the best example of being a novice. Grasping, crawling, making sounds, and those all-important first steps are excellent examples of new worlds emerging for our little ones.

As we age, being a novice and unable to do certain things can be very frustrating.

Our awareness of setbacks and stumbles can cause us to give up too soon and not push through our difficulties.  Where are the feelings of being a novice keeping you from taking some important first steps in your life?

EXERCISE:

How can you more fully embrace a beginner’s mindset and appreciate your novice status on your journey toward greater personal mastery and excellence?

“Fill each day with things to learn, launch, and love.”

“Fill each day with things to learn, launch, and love.”

Jay Shetty, English author, former Hindu monk, and life coach

Image from Unsplash by jeshoots.com

Recently I had a day with absolutely nothing on my calendar.

Instead of jumping into my default activities to pass the time, I looked to today’s quote to guide my efforts.

Rather than sharing my specific activities, I ask you to consider what you learn, launch, and love throughout your days.

Take a look at the correlation between these activities and having a sense of fulfillment when it’s time to rest.

EXERCISE:

How can and will you be more intentional to actually plan and schedule things to learn, launch, and love in the days ahead?

We can revisit the past, be in the present, and even venture into the future

We can revisit the past, be in the present, and even venture into the future with our miraculous minds.

—Calm App Reflection

James Webb Telescope Image from NASA.com

The James Webb telescope is a miraculous piece of technology that cost ten billion dollars and took over 25 years to create. It is 100 times more powerful than the Hubble telescope, which has transformed our knowledge and understanding of the universe for decades.

These devices use various frequencies of light to examine the past, based on the distance of diverse objects. With the finite speed of light being 186,000 miles per second, we can view the moon 1.3 seconds ago, our sun 8 minutes ago, and even distant galaxies over 13.5 billion years ago. With our awareness of our ever expanding and accelerating universe, we can also use computer simulations to look way into the future.

EXERCISE:

What value have you gained through lessons from the past?

What moments are you currently experiencing that you don’t want to miss?

What potential opportunities do you see for yourself and others as the future unfolds?

I am still learning

“I am still learning.”

—Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, 14th Century Italian sculptor, painter, architect and poet

Image from Unsplash By Grant Whitty

Michelangelo was born in 1475 and died in 1564. His longevity would be remarkable even today, with the average life expectancy of a man being somewhere between 78 and 83.

Perhaps it was his Mediterranean diet or disciplined exercise efforts that added those extra years. My guess would definitely include his industrious spirit and his desire for continuous learning.

His Sistine Chapel ceiling was completed between 1508 and 1512, and the Rondanini Pieta sculpture was produced in the year of his passing.

EXERCISE:

How strong is your desire to learn and grow? Where might exercising your learning muscles add more years to your life and life in your years?  How does and can the pursuit of learning make your life a more beautiful work of art?