WEEKLY WISDOM - LIFE LONG LEARNER

As I am penning this letter, I am reflecting over the last few weeks determining how many training classes I’ve participated in for my own learning. Over the past week, I’ve been in five training sessions ranging from personal development to leadership lessons to spiritual enrichment. This may seem a bit excessive, and I don’t normally have a training schedule that intense or busy, but it reminded me of my commitment of being a life-long learner.

As I experienced all this training, I’m reminded of the quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never return to its original dimension”. I felt that I had grown significantly with the intention of using my learnings to serve others.

Our highest purpose in life is to glorify God and serve others. The best version of me is to consistently improve myself no matter how old I am, what circumstances life brings, or who’s around me. There is learning to be done daily without exception. It’s all about a disciplined mindset that we must incorporate daily.

My wife and I often comment that who we were when we got married over 30 years ago is not the same persons we are today. Because of our life-long commitment to learning and experiencing life, we have become a lot wiser and more mature as we master life and reverence the Giver of Life.

 Learning does not always involve obtaining degrees even though I have post-secondary degrees. Learning comes in a variety of experiences from completing your high school education to getting post-secondary education, joining the military, obtaining a career trade, taking certification classes in areas of interests, participating in on-going professional and personal development classes, traveling and immersing yourself into experiences uncommon to your normal way of life, meeting new people with varied interest with high moral values, reading books or listening to audio books and podcasts that expand your mind positively, learning to play a new instrument or speak a different language. There are so many opportunities for you to become a life-long learner.

The takeaway lesson is that you were meant to be a curious continuous learner and the more you experience in life, the stronger your leadership becomes in every facet.  Remember Leadership begins with a relationship with your heavenly Father, your Savior and Lord, and your Spiritual Guide The Holy Spirit. Then it extends to leading your family and your community. Take this time to examine if you are in a consistent posture of learning to become the ideal version of yourself.

Here are two scriptures you can plant in your heart regarding life-long learning. Both come from the Amplified Bible version.

Proverbs 18:15 The mind of the prudent [always] acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise [always] seeks knowledge.

Proverbs 4:5 “Get [skillful and godly] wisdom! Acquire understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation]! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

Never Stop Learning, Ever! 

(EQUIPPING)

Exercise Your Power this week

1. List your top skills that define who you are as a leader.

2. Identify one skill that you want to polish or improve and determine how you will accomplish this.

3. Identify one thing that you should learn about God and over the next week study and focus on it.