Learning helps you to see over the fence…..Action gets you to the other side!
There has been no better time to learn something new. I mean, just look at LinkedIn Learnings availability of courses - from recruiting to leadership to building a business. If there is a new skill you want to learn or a knowledge gap you need to fill, there are options.
Options are great, aren’t they? Not only do you have a wide range of content to work through, but you also have options around who you choose to learn from. I’m sure everyone has their favourite leadership expert. I mean, you can go from course to course to course, learning to learning to learning…..the question you need to be asking yourself; when is it enough?
We should never stop learning, that much is clear, but if you are not getting the results you are looking for – in your business, in your career or in your personal life – something needs to change.
I honestly think we have all been there at one time or another. Something piques your interest, and you start your research, this is where the learning begins. You tell everyone how great the learning is and all the wonderful tools you are going to implement – but you never put that learning into action. Fear comes to the surface and tells you “Hold on, you’re not ready, go and learn some more”. Which is what you do. Your stack of learning gets bigger and bigger. You can clearly see over the fence, but something is holding you back from making the jump.
For some people, the learning is the easy part, the action is the tough part. For others, they try to make the jump without doing the required learning and smack right into the fence…I think we have all been there!
Learning + Action = Results
So how do you make that jump? How do you push past that fear, so that you can take advantage of what is on the other side of that fence?
Train your mindset to help you overcome the fear:
· Take small actions as you learn
· Identify progress markers and stick to them
· Engage in a learning group that holds you accountable for taking action
· Engage in a coach to help extract the hidden talent within
· Learn from your mistakes
I know for myself, when I first decided to get my Personal Training Qualification, I was very excited to start learning all these new skills. It was something that I had always wanted to do and was passionate about. I loved the learning but couldn’t wait to put the action into place!
Once I finished my course, I put myself out there to get some PT work. I started to make the jump and I stumbled. I couldn’t get any clients. That’s when the fear set in. I started to ask myself, do I know enough?
So, I did a nutrition course. Then a strength and conditioning course. I read articles and completed online learning. This is where I slipped up, after doing each of those learnings, I didn’t go back out to try and get clients, I just kept learning. I had hit the fence early and not gathered the courage to try the jump again.
I wondered….I am even good enough to be a PT?
Eventually I got to a point where I thought to myself, I either need to use this skill or I am going to lose it. So, I reached out to some friends and started training each of them. I made the jump. Now, Personal Training was never going to be a “job” for me, it was going to be always going to be a hobby, but the impact of getting that first “client” now shows me that the initial learning was worth the effort. Making the jump, was worth the effort.
How do you know when you are ready to make the jump, to take the action? Chances are you won’t know for sure, you will second guess yourself and fall back into old patterns. This comes back to your mindset.
When looking to take the action:
· Take small actions and reflect on what you learn
· Try new skills on people you trust
· Join a social media platform – LinkedIn, Instagram, Substack
· Lean into the fear and remind yourself that the worst that can happen, actually won’t be that bad
Learning + Action = Results
When you begin your learning, the fence can seem really high and maybe even unachievable, but just remember, you don’t need to clear the fence on your first try, failing is an opportunity to learn and grow. Knowledge is growth and without growth none of us will ever get tall enough to get over that fence.
Superb article John - absolutely loved this.