I don’t often feature a quotation from myself in these Friday posts. But today I do, because I have been asked about how to be a life-long learner often – and several times in the last few weeks. So, here is a small part of my answer.
Questions to Ponder
– How observant am I?
– How can I use my observational skills more effectively and productively?
– What gets in the way of observing more?
Action Steps
1. Make it a goal to pay more attention to the people and situations around you.
2. Use the advice in the quotation – to capture those moments.
3. Take time to reflect on those moments with the intention of learning from them – to improve your future.
My Thoughts
There are lessons everywhere around us in life, but we must look for them. There are reasons for joy and gratitude all around us, but we must look for them. In order for lessons, joys, and experiences to be remembered, they must first be noticed or observed. In order for those moments to have an impact, they must be reviewed and reflected upon. And when we think about firsts and lasts, we are much more able to do the reflection that creates memories and learning.
And there is another reason why this is important, too.
The human brain has a special place for firsts and lasts – and so when we look at things for the first or last time, we are often more intentional, more present, and the observations last longer. We already take my advice sometimes – the birth of our first child, the last time we walk across our college campus as a student. (Those are the two examples that popped into my head – some have popped into yours too, haven’t they?)
And it is precisely because those firsts and lasts are preserved, that we can go back and look at them more clearly and with a fresh perspective, and learn more from them.
What can you see today with fresh eyes, for the joy and for the learning?
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