When the Student is Ready

Who do you learn from?

How do you know what someone has to teach?

Might they your best opportunities to learn already be available on Twitter? Or other networks you are already on?

How would you know unless you asked?

I recently started pying attention to what Liz Strauss writes.  The latest of her posts (that I have read) lays out a step by step method to start creating your own path to, well, whatever it is you are trying to do.

Here is a quick list of the stps from Liz’ post a a few of my thoughts -

1. Start with a foundation of concrete not sand

Brings me back to days of weightlifting and strength training in a couple of ways — not that I was ever that great at either.

• You could always tell the novice in the gym.  They are the ones who get ahead of themselves and  their hands shake as they lift.  I always thought that was trying to lift with ego, not strength.  Except, of course, when I was doing it.
• Arnold Schwarzenegger, before he became the Govnator (or whatever) was in the gym with a workout partner.  The partner asked how many sets they had left.  Arnold offered a Zenny answer, “Just this one, always this one.”  Doing this thing, this one thing, whatever it is, keeps us from getting ahead of ourselves.  You start from where you are and you are always here. Now.

2. Lay out a path

• Lay out your path.  Joseph Campbell once said (or maybe more than once) that if you are on a path, it is someone elses path. When I work with clients, they want to have aplan and then talk about how this person did x or y, or how their parents did something or taught them something.  I then wonder if they are on their own path.  Maybe I think too much.

3. Wisely choose unique and valuable guides

• See 2.  What is the best guide?  I would answer the guide that finds you.  Here I speak of values.  What is important to you?  What do you want?  and then the big question — Do you want what you want or do you want what you think you should want?  That is the challenge

4. Check your bearings regularly

• The beauty of using values as your guide is that values give you direction regardless of where position,  If I value writing consistently to become a better writer, it isn’t hard to tell whether I am writing or not.  And if I am not, that is an easy enough direction to change.

5. Don’t Leave Out Learners

• Allow me to contradict myself a bit and defer to a ‘guru.’  I have always liked Stephen Covey’s edict about teaching to learn.  When you know there are learners out there hungry for what you have learned, you may be motivated to learn it better.  At least a little?  Maybe?

6. Ask for Help

• I’m a guy.  At the risk of stereotyping myself, I am one who does not like to ask for help.  It’s my challenge.  I heard a motivational speaker once tell a little story about something Joe Frazier said (yes, the boxer).  He said, “At some time in each of our lives, we are like the blind man standing at a corner waiting for someone to help us across the street. “

More powerful wisdom from the post -

Watch for and welcome every wise teacher you encounter. Wisdom and experience are a prize. True teachers show themselves by offering advice, expecting nothing in return. Mentors who come your way, offering experience and connections, see something in you. Let them help you discover what that is and what it could be if you let it grow.

Building A Powerful Personal Developmental Network – Is Your Next Teacher on Twitter?

Art by Artleg Art

Originally posted 2009-07-22 10:09:33. Republished by Old Post Promoter

,

Tagged as: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Blogging, brain coaching, change management, Joseph Campbell, leadership, personal development, Twitter, unstuck