Are You Trainable?

Well of course you are!

But do you welcome the opportunities as they arise?

Having our minds stretched makes a bit room for more information, but that doesn't often happen for many of us because stretching hurts. Here are some simple steps to make the most of each learning opportunity.

• Remember that Significant Learning Opportunities, as Jim Fay calls them, are often wrapped up in times we'd rather avoid...accidents, failures, broken relationships...but if we allow those times to be something we simply survive, we never harvest the lesson and allow ourselves to grow from them.
• Look for some of the most significant opportunities to come from people who irritate you. The thing that irritates you in them is likely a strong trait you carry as well (we'll get into all the egoesque theory in that another day...feel free to use egoesque...I kind of like it). Turn off your filter and listen to understand.
• In a horrible moment, don't say something chirpy like, "Boy, oh boy are we going to look back and laugh at what we learned today!" People around you will hurt you...or worse, secretly hate you.
• Write it down. My friend Elizabeth Cottrell offers great insight into the power of journaling. And we all know you remember what you write down. So unless you're some really masochistic dude who is into going through the same hurt over and over, minimize the likelihood of learning the same lesson by letting it fully enter your brain the first time.
• Take advantage of formal training opportunities. Sign up for classes. Learn a new skill for free at a bazillion (at least) community centers around the nation. Open your mind to the training offered at your workplace that you absolutely resent having to attend. I don't mean to deliver too much truth in one punch here, but honey, you don't know it all.

Here's to stretching our mind muscles, so there is more room there for goodness to grow.

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bdorman264 1935 pts

The perception might be that once we leave a formalized education; we have learned everything we possibly can. In reality, the learning is just beginning; that is why I keep an open mind and an eagerness to always be learning. I might be the old dog, but you can teach me some tricks....

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MimiMeredith 190 pts moderator

bdorman264 I adore you! As my colleague said,"you've got to stay green and growing!". I wish you could have been in the groups I have been facilitating today. I am actually in Florida and will be back throughout the month!!

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TheJackB 1510 pts

Call me a masochist because I know that I keep making some of the same mistakes over and over. But I swear one day I am going to kick that football before Lucy pulls it out from under me.

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MimiMeredith 190 pts moderator

TheJackB I know! I think to myself, "Really? Again already?" and the little learning lessons just continue to unfold. One day, I'll learn to quit playing with Lucy and enjoy some time on the swing set alone!

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RiverwoodWriter 7 pts

Your third bullet reminds me of a family story that will make you smile. My amazingly fit and energetic uncle, already in his 80s, led a group of nieces, nephews and grandchildren a fewnyears ago on a hike up a mountain. It started to get cold and rainy, but he was intent on making it to the summit. When someone dared to complain, he exclaimed, "But we're making memories!" we remember it, for sure...

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MimiMeredith 190 pts moderator

RiverwoodWriter I want to be just like your uncle when I grow up!

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RiverwoodWriter 7 pts

Thanks so much for the mention, Mimi! It's true that journaling can be an effective way to pull those hard-won lessons out of our experiences, but I agree that just being open to these " stretching" experiences is the place to start.

I am occasionally accused of being "hard core untrainable" by someone who shall go nameless (all in fun), but I swear it ain't so. :-)

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MimiMeredith 190 pts moderator

RiverwoodWriter Absolutely, my friend! And look how far we've come since we met. I'd say we are both excellent students of life experience :)!

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