One of the books that I’m (slowly) reading right now is Dean Guida’s When Grit is not Enough. It’s a fantastic read for entrepreneurs and business leaders at all levels. One of the book’s many relevant themes: learning organizations will survive and prosper.
Of course, being a learning organization starts with the people.
“At Infragistics, we seek people who are curious and inquisitive and who wish to expand their knowledge of a variety of subjects, as well as improve the skills they bring to our company.” — Dean Guida
Being curious, inquisitive, and wielding a desire to expand knowledge & build on skills is pertinent not only in business, but in all other facets of life. On top of our professional lives, our faith, relationships, and overall wellbeing will benefit from a commitment to learning.
Regarding faith, most Christian churches operate on a three-year lectionary cycle. This means that every three years, the same Biblical stories & passages are back on the menu for clergy to develop sermons & services out of. Does that mean the message will always be the same? Is it pointless to attend church for a period of longer than three years? Of course not! Just like there is value in re-reading books—I need to do a better job of this—there is an immense return on spiritual investment by deepening our understanding and discussions of the Word.
And what about in our relationships? Have we learned all we need to know about our loved ones in the decade(s) that we’ve had them in our lives? Certainly not. Every gathering, vacation, or late-night talk can be an important step in building on and improving our friendships, marriages, and brotherhoods.
Regarding sports and fitness, take the examples of Nick Saban and Louie Simmons. Do you think Nick Saban ran his 2003 program at LSU the same way he ran his 2020 Alabama squad? Westside Barbell was certainly training differently in 2022 than they were in 1990, but still producing the world’s strongest humans.
The long and short of it is this: success of all kinds can only be sustained through continued learning.
