It’s been said that a day without learning is a day without living.
When you stop learning or close your mind to learning, you become stagnant and you die – first intellectually, then emotionally and then…well, you know. As Stephen Covey wrote in his “7 Habits…” piece – always sharpen the saw. Coach Wooden once said, “It’s what you learn after you think you know it all that counts.” Always ask yourself, “What can I do to improve?”
Related: Ten Life Truths
Once you have learned something, practice it until you are good at it. Real success comes from those who practice; in life, there is no room for “winging it”. Coach Lou Carnesca of St. John’s University said it best, “Nothing takes place on the court that doesn’t first take place in practice.”
Let me share with you some things that I have learned over the years…
You should not confuse your career with your life. I’ve seen far too many people who lost their career and ended up lost as to who they were and the core values they possessed. You work to live not live to work. A person who is nice to you but rude to a waiter or a waitress is not a nice person. They are insecure and have an inflated opinion of themselves. Your true friends love you anyway. They see you for who you are; your strengths and your weaknesses and the value you bring to the relationship. In other words, they accept who you are and do not want to change you, but rather will be supportive of any change you wish to undertake. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark; a large group of professionals built the Titanic. Don’t be afraid to think big and set big goals for yourself. You can’t be big on the outside until you think big on the inside. Believe in yourself and your abilities. What’s the worst that could happen? You might make a mistake or look silly. So, what? You will learn something from your experience that will make you better.
