Never Stop Learning

“The greatest enemy of learning is knowing.” John Maxwell

What do you think about Maxwell’s quote?  It’s a little counter-intuitive, isn’t it?

Knowing is good, right?

Socrates said the only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing.

Hmmmm….

The point Maxwell and Socrates are trying to make is to never stop learning.

The moment we claim to know all that we need to know is the moment we should fear, not celebrate.  There is, and always will be, more to learn.

One of the most beloved and revered coaches of all time, John Wooden, put it this way, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”

When’s the last time you learned something new?  Are you working on something now, or has your life grown a bit stagnant?

If nothing’s coming to mind, this may be the perfect time to commit to learning something.

Maybe in reading this, something popped in your mind immediately that you’d like to get started on.  If so, go get ‘em!

Need some inspiration to get your “learning” juices flowing?  Here’s a list of 20 ideas to get you started:

• Learn a new language.
• Learn to cook. Too broad?  Learn to cook Asian food.
• Learn to plant and grow a vegetable garden.
• Learn a new productivity system to be more effective. (I’m working on this one now.)
• Learn to play a musical instrument.
• Learn to play tennis.
• Learn to blog. (I did!)
• Learn to sail.
• Learn to listen. (Don’t laugh, this one can take a lifetime for some.)
• Learn to take good photos.
• Learn to tile a floor.
• Learn public speaking. (I tried this and bailed after a couple months.  Bailing can be ok for the right reasons.)
• Learn to build wooden birdhouses.
• Learn something new to help your business grow.
• Learn to budget and manage your money well.  (Working on this one too.)
• Learn a photo editing software to “play” with your photos.
• Learn to knit or crochet. (I’ve always wanted to do this!  Saving for retirement.)
• Learn to whittle.
• Learn to upholster a piece of furniture.
• Learn to restore old books.
• Learn to __________________. You fill in this one.

The possibilities are endless.  Find something that sounds fun–even challenging–and go for it!

How to Start/Continue the Learning Process Today:

• Read. Read. Read. Learn from the “masters.”
• Take an online class or a class at your local community college, community center, craft guild, music center, etc.
• Ask a friend to teach you something they know well.
• Ask questions of those you are learning from. Lots of questions!
• Listen to podcasts. There are podcasts on pretty much any topic you can imagine.
• Browse the web for DIY how-to sites, pick a project, and get to work.

If any of this seems overwhelming, just focus on taking one step at a time.  Always keep your end goal in site, but break down the steps to get there into manageable pieces.

I’d love to hear what new things you have been or will be learning about.  Please share in the comments section below.

Have a great day!

Jill xx