Learning can be reused several times over but…you have to be ready for delayed gratification.
Immediate gratification
In a world where we chase immediate gratification, learning for self takes a backseat. Hustling is immediate but learning is delayed, and therefore, hustling is considered premium.
We see this phenomenon all around us, whether it is the repairman who hopes to get by with less than basic skills or a corporate hire who knows just enough Excel to slip in through the door or a people manager who finds working with people a challenge. Once there, they hope to hustle.
Learning can be reused several times over
Learning is about developing ‘muscles’ that can be used and reused several times over – a force multiplier.
In a world where our skills are getting obsolete by the hour, one has to be always in the learning zone – curious, learning, experimenting, failing, falling, stumbling, learning from mistakes and then rising to glory. Only to fall again and learning again.
Read my post: The one trait that will make you future-proof
New learning formats
Learning formats are now bite-sized, on-line and very often free. But off-the-shelf learning is also mass-produced and generic, meaning, it may not address your unique station in your career and life. You have to find your own format for learning, something that addresses your unique questions and concerns. It needs to be the kind of learning that you can keep using in real-life, and come back with more questions only to receive fresh responses to be tried out again. Welcome to one-on-one coaching!
However, most skills take time to develop. Hustling won’t help. You have to be ready for delayed gratification.
You are in the gym
Since I spoke of muscles, learning is very much like working out in a gym. The gym trainer works with your unique structure, sets up a plan and monitors your progress. When things do not go per plan, he changes the routine until it is effective. You spot the changes in the mirror after quite some time but once you see the changes, your motivation supports you in the journey forward. This is exactly what happens in a one-on-one coaching format.
And yes, it takes time to spot the newly developed muscles in the mirror – delayed gratification, not hustle!
Once you have all the necessary skills, remember that learning can be reused several times over. Now go ahead and hustle!
One-on-one coaching is a very powerful learning format. With an external coach, the format allows 100% confidentiality – a key feature to open up and share your challenges openly. Coaching also provides you with tailored solutions to suit your context. Once you try your new strategies, you can report back to the coach for appropriate debriefs and course-corrections.
Interested in getting coached? Contact me at [email protected].
