We operate out of perspective that our views and beliefs are facts, conflicting views are "wrong" and there is nothing to learn from them, we actually believe that "I am educated" and my job is to correct others not learn from them.
What needs to happen for us to grow?
We grow by taking on new information that does NOT match what we believe in life and our opinions. We compare it to what we already think, we then choose what to discard and choose what to update in our views and opinions.
You may think you do this, how deep do you go though when comparing your current perspectives to different ones? How many layers do you peel back from yourself to truly submit that how you see the world is just that, how "you" see the world. This is where real critical thinking ability lives in you.
Here we go.. 3 ways you can learn daily and why it so much more important than the certificates you got 20 years ago based on knowledge which was relevant (maybe) well... 20 years ago
1. Be insatiably curious
When you see, hear, read or experience ANYTHING you don't understand the meaning of type it into google and spend a few minutes learning about it. We don't know what we don't know and that is an enormous amount for all of us. I do this several times daily and as a result my conversations and ability to interact with all kinds of people from all walks of life just gets better daily. Learning is addictive and people will pick that up from you.
2. Quantum Linguistics (the conversation you have with yourself in your head)
Ask yourself questions to challenge your own thoughts. Instead of surrendering to that little voice in your head judging others, ask yourself "what could be good about their point of view here?", "is there a benefit to the way they present themselves that I am missing?", " why do I always respond this way to this person, what's going on in me that makes this person have this effect on me?"
Do this and you will learn the best lessons - the ones about yourself.
3. Keep your circle BALANCED.
Follow people on social media who have totally conflicting views to you. Watch videos and read articles done by those who your initial reaction is to laugh at or even loathe. Engage in conversations with people free of judgement regardless of the language they use, the way they are dressed or the lifestyle you "perceive" them to have.
The difference between a university professor, a taxi driver and a beggar on the street is simply that the lessons they will teach you are different.
Why is this important?
Because if you're a person believing you know what you need to know in life, yet you are basing it on an academic education you had 20+ years ago, centered around material that may not even be relevant or correct nowadays full stop and in present life you are spending your days with the same people, in the same places, doing the same things, having the same old thoughts, making the same old judgements and operating out of the same old views and opinions you subscribed to 20 years ago is it fair in 2020 to call yourself "educated"?
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Benjamin Wood ICF Certified Leadership Lifestyle Coach Master NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming) Practitioner Master NLP Coach Master Time Line Therapy Practitioner CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) Practitioner Corporate Facilitator and Motivational Speaker