Purposeful Learning

It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts. ~ John Wooden

I consider myself lucky to have come to entrepreneurship late in life. At 48, I was old enough to realize how little I knew. I came into entrepreneurship with the understanding that learning was the only way I was going to succeed. I had to commit myself to continuous learning about business, leadership, finances, networking, and a thousand other things.

I confess that taking the time to learn is not always easy. As a matter of fact, it is easier, at least for me, to just plow ahead, fail fast, and fail often. To combat this attitude, I divided to be purposeful about learning. I had to consider the who, what, when, where, and why of learning if I was going to accomplish my biggest goals.

Who?

Who should I follow? Who are the authors, podcasters, speakers, and mentors who will provide me with the most important information? Since starting my business, I have read hundreds of books, listened to dozens of speakers, and listened to over a thousand hours of podcasters. A few stand out.

From Walter Disney: The Triumph The American Imagination - By Neal Gabler, I learned about taking risks and creating the very best product. From Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, I learned about the power of building a loyal team. From Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success: Building Blocks for a Better Life, I learned about the importance of staying hungry and competitive. From John Maxwell’s The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication, I learned to embrace my unique speaking style. And from Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead, I found the core values that run through everything I do.

There are so many more, and maybe I will share those in future posts, but here I want to say that choosing who to learn from was one of the most important decisions I have made in my business. It was, at the very least, the first step toward becoming a more purposeful learner.

What?

The “what” was a little more difficult for me. I have always been a voracious reader. My bookshelf is littered with almost every genre and subject. How could I narrow my learning down to a few specific subjects? The answer is I couldn’t. Instead, I stuck with my philosophy in life, admitted what I didn’t know, and pursued the answers. When I hired my first employee, I read everything I could on delegation, leadership, and teamwork. When I began to feel overwhelmed by too many obligations, I found Michael Hyatt and learned to “win at work and succeed in life.” I genuinely believe there is no problem on earth that doesn’t have a corresponding book with the answer. What to learn was simple. I read the books and listened to the podcasts that could solve my most significant problems.

When?

The answer to when was more challenging than I expected. I have always read before bed, but reading books about my complex problems before bed led to many sleepless nights. I tried reading during lunch but found my mind too busy to focus. The mornings felt impossible. As a mom, I was busy in the mornings. How on earth could I concentrate while trying to make sure everyone made it out the door on time? The answer is I couldn’t. If I wanted to be a learner, I had to make a decision. I had to make a purposeful decision to dedicate time to learning. That meant getting up an hour earlier every single day. This was not an easy decision. I like my sleep as much as the next guy, but learning was important to me. So, I had to make it happen. Eight years later, I am still up before the sun and I still find it difficult, every single day.

Where?

I am sure I could dive deeper into this, but the truth is, the where was the easiest to solve. I learned wherever I could find a quiet space. When I read in the morning, it is at the kitchen table before anyone else comes down the stairs. When I listen to podcasts, it is either while I am showering, in the car, or on a run. When I am with a mentor, I choose to find a quiet place without disttractions and leave my phone behind. Learning takes concentration. Without the quiet, I can guarantee failure.

Why?

I hope the why is clear. Maybe it is different for everybody. But for me, I am purposeful about my learning because I know there are so many things I do not know and because I, as a Gen-X, was reminded from a young age that “knowledge is power.”