Every day is a learning day!
John Wooden was an American basketball player and head coach at the University of California. He kept challenging the teams he coached to keep an open mind, to be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. He is often quoted with “It’s what you learn AFTER you think you know it all that counts”. Challenging our own beliefs in what can be achieved, and wanting to learn is our choice. Being open to learning is a choice, and a choice that will determine every single result we have in our personal and working lives.
Whilst focussing on basketball, Michael Jordan said mid-way through his career “Some people consider me to be the best player, but no matter how accomplished I have been, I have always needed a coach. A coach can see things I cannot see”. There are huge benefits from keeping an open mind and seeing every day as a learning opportunity – and those who reach the very top of their game will always have a great coach in both business and sports.
We don’t get what we want in life, we get what we expect in life. If we expect to win and succeed, and want to learn more about how to get there, our chances of achieving that dream are so much higher. If we expect to fail… then guess what happens?! The choice is always ours to be open to learning and to expect the best.
My last quote is one of my personal favourites, and it’s from Richard Branson. He said “I see life almost like one long university education that I never had – every day I am learning something new”. I would encourage you at the end of each day to take time to reflect on what you have learnt that you didn’t know when you woke up this morning, highlight three learning points – however big or small, and reflect on what you will do tomorrow with that new knowledge.
Imagine what can be achieved when we deliberately choose to learn new things and expect the best. Make each day a learning day, reflecting on three top learning points and always expect the best!
Have a good day.