by Andrea Goeglein
Teachings, lessons and life.
Recently at a book club gathering I was asked to clarify what exactly it means to ‘teach what you need to learn’. That, of course, is one of the Don’t Die™ Principles and the reader was attempting to connect the concept as much in her own life as she was trying to understand any particular story in my book. I answered the question, which led to a discussion, but I also admitted that I did not remember exactly how I set up that Principle in the book.
It had been over 6 months since I had written the book and the Principles are an interchangeable and inseparable part of my life and my work. I may not remember the exact story I tell about the lesson at any one time, but I never forget the concept and how to use the lesson. This is what I wrote:
Learning, like all of life, is a crooked path of connected events. Sometimes we don’t even notice that seemingly unrelated occurrences offer different versions of the same lesson. Sometimes we are the student and sometimes we are the teacher. And often we are drawn to teach exactly what we need to learn. When we teach before we embody the lesson, we are not being disingenuous. We are simply taking the steps needed to keep us motivated to learn more.(1)
Dr. Success Challenge: What “lesson” do you find yourself teaching others currently in your life?
Let me suggest some places to look for your lessons. Do you notice every time an employee complains about some work obstacle, but not notice how often you speak disparagingly of some board member? Do you criticize a political candidate for their perceived honesty, then purposely overlook some bank interest when filling your taxes? Do you have a friend who you believe mismanages their finances, but don’t quite notice how often you don’t pay off your credit card balance each month?
Remember it does not mean you are disingenuous if you have not yet internalized the lesson for yourself, answering this question is just a step to keep you motivated to learn more.
Be brave – work at learning your lessons. My best, Andrea
Hope you like the photo of the owl and the hummingbird. The photo was taken in my housing complex in Las Vegas. Wise odd couple for sure!
