Mastering the Game of Life 1.2
(Wednesday)
Context:
Many people lack humility and modesty. This can be especially true of young people. Yet developing those two qualities will actually give you an edge in the workplace and in life. Why? Because those who possess humility and modesty understand that they don't know everything and are willing to listen to input from others. They actively seek knowledge, especially advice from older, more experienced individuals.
RULE 2: Learn by example. Learn from others’ wins and losses. Take advice.
Why it’s important: As you moved into adolescence, you had an innate desire, even drive, to be independent. You had the desire to be your own person, and make your own decisions and choices rather than be told what to do.
As a young adult, you may feel that you have all the answers. You may believe that older people don’t have a clue. Yet, in most cases, those who are older and more experienced than you can give you insight, direction, and advice that will help you level up and be successful. This is especially true on the job.
If you can be modest and humble enough to listen, there’s a wealth of knowledge to be gathered from people in your life.
This is Good Advice
This is one of the most valuable pieces of advice you'll ever receive: Listen to and apply the guidance of those you respect and admire. If you follow the advice of successful individuals you admire, you can emulate their path to success.
Watch the video.
Questions to Consider
1) Can you learn from someone who is not successful? Someone who seems to constantly be making mistakes or bad decisions?
2) Do you feel comfortable asking people for advice?
3) Can you relate a time you learned from someone’s good or bad example? What was the situation, what did you learn, and how did you apply what you learned?
Write down your comments in your journal or discuss them with others.
Consider:
CRITICISM is part of LEARNING and GROWTH. If you are fortunate to receive constructive critique and feedback, it means that you are going outside of your comfort zone to learn something new. You are choosing to grow, and understand that you wouldn’t be able to move past your current state unless you received criticism.
If you are not getting criticized, it means you are not taking enough risks or initiative to learn something new and to grow.
Effective Decisions Making: Learning From Business Decision Makers
1. Defining the problem. First, remove all emotion from the situation. Make sure you understand what the actual problem is, not just how the problem makes you feel. CEOs and corporate leaders make informed, not emotional decisions.
2. Specify the answer to the problem. Once you know what the actual problem is, formulate the solution to that problem. If the problem can be stated as a question, make sure you can express the solution as an answer to that question.
3. Deciding what is “right,” rather than what is easiest or acceptable. In the workplace and in life, you may be tempted to take the easy way out. You may be tempted to do what is acceptable. Many businesses these days do just that when making decisions. But always try to consider what the right decision would be, even if it may be the harder or more difficult decision to follow through on. Oftentimes, the harder choice is the right choice.
4. Building into the decision the action to carry it out. All successful CEOs first consider what actions or commitments have to be made before making a final decision. How are we going to implement the decision? Can it realistically be carried out?
5. Testing the validity and effectiveness of the decision against the actual course of events. Did the decision bring about the change or effect we planned for? If not, what did we fail to consider? What could we have done differently to better achieve our goal?
Learn from each decision you make, just like the business leaders who make major decisions on a regular basis.
-Based on the HBR Article Decision Making And Problem Solving: The Effective Decision
Learning in Hours Instead of Years
When you observe someone highly skilled in their job, remember that they've likely spent years acquiring that knowledge. Often, they can share valuable tips and lessons in just minutes or hours, condensing years of experience into a short time.
This means you can achieve a high level of proficiency by learning from others quickly. When older individuals offer advice or ways to improve, consider listening rather than letting your pride get in the way. Learning this way is smart and powerful, leading to success.
For instance, there was a young man who enjoyed fishing with his experienced grandfather in the mountains. His grandfather, a lifelong local, taught him the best fishing spots, lure selection, and ideal fishing times. When tourists marveled at the young boy's fishing success, he attributed it to decades of experience gained from his grandfather's wisdom. Do you understand the point of this story? This story illustrates the power of learning from those with more experience.
Metacognitive Goals
For the remainder of this week, make a conscious effort to evaluate how open you are to receiving advice, feedback, or constructive criticism. In your journal, record your observations. Do you identify areas for improvement in your receptiveness to advice and criticism?
Additionally, take note of instances where you've learned from both positive and negative examples set by others.
The more you acknowledge the benefits of learning from others, the more inclined you'll be to continue this practice in your professional and personal life.
Thought of the day.
“Experience is a master teacher, even when it’s not our own.”
― Gina Greenlee