Clarity Comes from Action not Theory

There's a great line in Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist that goes “There is only one way to learn. It’s through action.”

It's easy to read all the personal development books, attend the right seminars, and listen to podcasts recommended by colleagues but none of it means a thing if what we learn sits idle. I've learned that knowledge is not power. It is potential power. We learn through doing, not thinking. 

The trouble is often two-fold. Either we're afraid of failure or we don't know where to begin. Sometimes it's both. Again, both are byproducts of over-thinking rather than doing. In time we become over-motivated underachievers. 

I'm not suggesting one be cavalier in their endeavors or be passive about where you invest your time. I'm saying we should stop waiting for permission. 

The truth is nobody ever knows where to start. There is no blueprint for success, or single trajectory for entrepreneurship. Those who succeed stumble, even tumble, but with fortitude a sense of clarity is often revealed. Even then, it's still hazy. We just keep moving.

As far as tackling fear goes you must ask yourself what is the worst that could happen. An endeavor doesn't unfold the way you thought it would? So what? Has anything in your life ever gone according to plan? Probably not. So what's the difference?

Fail fast. Learn fast. Adjust. Rinse. Repeat.

First Day of School

Yesterday, marked the first day of my summer teaching position. I'm working for an organization geared towards helping kids from 4k all the way to high school learn to fall in love with books and storytelling. 

The strategies are also made up of some more technical components like teaching phonics, speed reading, and gauging reading comprehension. It was a challenging but great first day.

En route to my new job I left before the crack of dawn. I didn't want to take any chances with the traffic that has now become legendary, or infamous rather, in these parts. I tripled checked all the materials I needed to bring, but quickly found out during my second class I should have looked once more. 

"You forgot it,"a first grader said to me. There aren't many things worse than that sinking feeling of letting someone down.

Still, I improvised. I made the best out of an avoidable situation and ended on a strong note. And my first go was a Masters Class. Here's what I learned:

• Go to the fear immediately. Don’t wait, or you'll likely never do it.
• Stay healthy – get rest, eat well, and be kind to yourself. You will not last if you don’t.
• You have more energy than you think.
• You will rise to the occasion no matter how hard the work if you’ve trained properly beforehand.
• NOTHING goes according to plan.
• You must be flexible.
• Kindness and patience no matter what.

Don't Discount the Little Things

My goal with each book I read, podcast I listen to, interview I watch, or workshop I take is to learn at least one meaningful lesson I can immediately implement into my daily life.

Admittedly, I've been very underwhelmed on occasion by my selections. Still,  these resources have taught me what to avoid doing; an equally important takeaway.

I've also learned not to discount the little things. Over time those lessons compound over time and can make enormous changes in your life as long as you put them to practice.

Start small and watch what happens.

Not Understanding

I think the root of a great deal of angst comes from our failure to understand why life sometimes unfolds the way it does. I've spent far too much time racking my brain to figure out why a romantic relationship failed, wondering what I could have done differently.

I have tried over and over to figure out why my extraordinary efforts towards a pursuit did not bear the fruits I hoped it would.

And I've certainly felt my fair share of frustration from college admissions offices to literary agents to casting directors.

As a child I looked at not understanding something with a sense of wonder, a curiosity that has sadly been swapped for apprehension. Of course, as one grows older you gradually begin to know what you don't know, which is important for any meaningful self-development. It's important we continue to strive, to learn, to combat our ignorance.

But what if there was a sweet spot? A place where instead of getting worked up about why you weren't cast in a role, or your book was denied publication, or perhaps a blog you thought would resonate with people didn't we maintained a sense of poise. What if we eased into the unknown and didn't get worked up about the million or so variables we didn't even consider leading up to the result?

What if we looked at failure as feedback and used it as an opportunity to adjust our approach while not being so hard on ourselves? I'm convinced this would put years back on our lives.

Maybe there's a place where not understanding something is okay. Perhaps instead, we can tap back into our inner child and pivot back towards curiosity and that wonderful flexibility in thinking we often lose as we get older.

Just a thought.