A cartoon I saw recently depicted a dinosaur convention. The speaker is saying: “I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the Earth’s atmosphere is warming up, the oceans are receding, and we’re entering a whole new era. The bad news is that we have a brain the size of a walnut.”
Today, we face good news and bad news. The bad news is that this period of rampant social, political, and economic change is creating major upheavals in every corner of the planet. Now for the good news: As human beings, we are more than capable of meeting the challenge. Unlike the dinosaurs, we have the tools to thrive in any environment because there are few limits to our capacity to adapt, to learn, and to grow.
The message, however, is clear: In a world rocked by ongoing dramatic advances in technology and communication, those who don’t adapt or change are destined to go the way of the dinosaur. In other words, only those who are forever learning will have the knowledge, agility, speed, and flexibility to meet the demands of a dynamic, global marketplace.
Learning, however, is much more than a bottom-line issue. Although an important benefit of learning is to keep us employable, the purpose of learning is much more significant. Learning, growing, renewing is the core process of life itself. Learning stimulates and gives nourishment to our hearts, minds, and souls. It keeps us fresh and vigorous.
“Real learning gets at the heart of what it means to be human,” says Peter Senge in his book, “The Fifth Discipline.” “Through learning, we recreate ourselves. Through learning, we become able to do something we were never able to do. Through learning, we re-perceive the world and our relationship to it. Through learning, we extend our capacity to create. There is within each of us a deep hunger for this type of learning.”
Learning is about:
- Change and diversity
- Rethinking assumptions
- Bouncing back
- Getting out of ruts
- Gaining self-confidence
- Broadening your horizons
- Having fun
- Creativity and innovation
- Finding your purpose in life
- Maximizing your contributions
- Becoming aware
- Solving problems
Here are some questions designed to stimulate your appetite for learning:
- What is something you’d like to learn if you had the time and resources?
- What is something others could learn from you?
- What career options would you like to learn more about?
- What difference would learning make to your career?
- What is stopping you?
All of us enter the world as curious, natural learners. But as adults, it is our responsibility to maintain that curiosity. Learning is about giving yourself more options, more choices. This requires learning from the unexpected, being willing to and desirous of embracing the strange or unknown. When we’re open, we’re teachable—we are not afraid to entertain new thoughts, ideas, dreams, values, or beliefs. Every encounter, every interaction and insight becomes an opportunity to be more fully engaged in our dynamic world.
David McNally, CPAE, is the CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer) of TransForm Corporation. Elected to the Speakers Hall of Fame by the National Speakers Association (NSA), McNally is the author of the bestselling books, “Even Eagles Need a Push—Learning to Soar in a Changing World,” “The Eagle’s Secret—Success Strategies for Thriving at Work and in Life,” and “The Push—Unleashing the Power of Encouragement.” His co-authored book, “Be Your OWN Brand,” is used by many business schools to address the importance of building a strong personal brand. McNally’s books have been translated into 12 different languages and developed into corporate training programs that have been released in more than 20 countries. TransForm works with organizations to develop purposeful leaders who build inspired organizations and iconic brands. Clients include Ameriprise, Areva, Conway, Delta Airlines, Pulte Homes, and Thrivent. For more information, visit www.davidmcnally.com or e-mail info@transformcorp.com.
