Читать книгу Goals to Gold - Lee Sandford - Страница 8

At the time of writing, I have a four year-old daughter. I love watching her learn new things, but I have to be patient. When she gets frustrated, I have to stop myself from jumping in and doing the task for her, because I know she will learn faster if she discovers things by herself.

As we get older, we find it harder and harder to learn. That’s because most people take comfort from holding on to their preconceived ideas. They don’t give themselves the time and space to learn. They don’t like to be out of their comfort zone. They don’t like to ask why. Why is that so? Do our egos get in the way of our progress? Maybe kids are better at learning because they don’t have big egos – they are never afraid to ask questions.

I love learning; I never stop! I’m like a sponge. I love to lap up new ideas, as well as new approaches to old problems. I encourage others to live like this, to keep asking why and how. It’s a rule I live by. If I don’t understand something, no matter how embarrassed I might be, I get over my ego and I ask. I’m not afraid to keep asking until I understand.

The greatest obstacle that threatens to hold us back in life is our reluctance to learn as we get older. Whether it’s learning about new technology, or relearning a damaged thought process, we must continue to learn if we want to progress in life.

Over the years, I’ve discovered that most people love talking about their fields of expertise. If I want to learn about something new, I find someone who has an extensive knowledge on the subject, then I ask them to help me. I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone say, “No.” It’s amazing how much you can learn by asking. People want to share their knowledge. If you find someone who won’t share, chances are they don’t really have knowledge to share in that area!

Here’s a great example of what I’m talking about.

My nephew plays rugby for London Irish. He recently wrote to the pro who plays in the same position as him for England. My nephew asked this player if he would sit down with him and answer some questions. Guess what... the pro said “Yes!” My nephew subsequently spent an invaluable hour with this guy getting top tips and advice from someone he looked up to, who is one of the greatest experts in his field. If my nephew hadn’t asked, this unique opportunity would never have happened.