This past weekend, I broke away from the normal hectic pace of life I find myself in to attend a retreat. It was a faith-based time away, and I was truly looking forward to it. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I wasn’t apprehensive in the least. We had no advanced agendas or topics. The only known fact we had was the time to arrive at the campground and check in. I was cool with that.
It was just what I needed personally. Time away. Time to reflect. Time to learn.
You see, I’m on the downhill side of my career. It’s something that comes to mind more with each passing week of the year. Please note that I don’t plan to have an abrupt stop to what I do, but I do plan to make a shift in a few years. I’m geeked about the time leading up to that transition, and also anticipating what could possibly be next. Just like the retreat, I have no advance information. For some, that could be overwhelming or daunting. I’ve never been a person who’s had to have everything lined out for me. I’m very comfortable stepping into the unknown and then seeing what will happen.
During this latter stage of my career, I was reminded by the retreat that I still have so much to learn. Not kidding. When you look at all of the possible information that exists, and the experiences I could have, I’ve barely scratched the surface after 62 years of wandering on this planet.
I love learning !! I always have. Finding new subjects and perspectives intrigues me. I try to be well-versed and expand my horizons. I’ll read about people whose thoughts and approaches to life run counter to what I believe. I feel it’s important to have an understanding of where people are coming from instead of making assumptions. I am hopeful that I’ll be someone who chooses to learn for the remainder of my life. I don’t see any reason to stop.
How about you ?? Are you someone who wants to constantly learn, or are you someone who has settled into a pattern where you’re comfortable? You have enough knowledge to get through your day. There’s little to no desire to stretch again. You find yourself worn out. Why in the world would you want to take on more ??
I think it comes down to a mindset. I don’t “have” to learn. I “want” to learn !! It’s a simple distinction that’s very powerful.
Too many people go through life reluctantly. They want little risk, little variability, and little change. Stability is valued far more than uncertainty. There’s no urge to learn more because they’ve hit a level of feeling they can perform with what they’ve already gathered over time.
I think that’s a miss. You see, I am a mix of someone who is very content in who I am and what I know, and who still has a burning desire to learn about what’s next, what’s new, and what’s possible. I find life and people to be truly fascinating !! There is so much that can be explored. There’s still so much to discover. I don’t want my life to be limited if it doesn’t have to be.
This week, I’d encourage you to pause and look around. Do you see some learning opportunities you could step into? Are there people you could meet and have a rich conversation with? Learn because you want to. It makes each day an adventure.
