Don't Short Circuit a Lesson

Don’t short circuit a lesson because you think you know what the take away is going to be. Too often we try to map other’s experiences or recommendations to our own and we miss out on new opportunities to grow or learn.

Next time you hear somebody describing something they just learned don’t interrupt with by saying “oh, I know where you’re going” or “I know something similar” instead do two things:

First, delight in the other person’s excitement about the topic. Be empathetic to their story, their journey, and their discovery. Ask probing questions, be genuinely excited to hear what they’re saying.

Second, understand you can learn from everybody. Not in some cheesy “everybody has a story to tell” sort of say, but a very real, concrete way. They learned this topic in a different way from you, they have come from a different place, walked a different path, and colored their discovery through their experience. Because of this they will be able to teach you something about any new topic.

Posted By: Joe Basirico