Lifetime Learner
Code School Book — Morgan Lopes and Tim Whitacre (27/30)
📖 Table of Contents | 📘 Buy the Book | Next Chapter 👉
The pace at which this field moves is equally the best and worst part.
L.P. Jacks says, “A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both.”
Curiosity and a willingness to explore new information are key parts of continuing to grow and excel. For the most skilled, learning is a lifestyle. It’s not a season, nor is it limited to a classroom.
Learning can take many forms. While some enjoy diving into a deep understanding of a small number of topics, I’ve enjoyed casting a wider net. Going wide instead of narrow with my learnings has exposed me to more diverse concepts and industries. That knowledge can help bring fresh perspective and insight to my current context.
My friend Brenton Strine likened lifetime learning to a game of soccer. “Continual growth has to be noted. I think a lot of people think that they can exert X amount of energy for Y years until they achieve competency, and then things will get easier. Then they’ll be able to exert 1/10th the energy and just coast. But in fact, you never stop exerting that same amount of effort: you just get faster. It’s the same reason that soccer is the best workout. Anyone at any fitness level can play soccer and they will get a full workout: as you get more and more fit, you don’t ever get to a point where you stop breaking a sweat: you just go farther and faster with the same effort.”
[END EXCERPT]
