Learn it, Know it, Live it: The Learning Curve

The Learning Curve

When I was a kid, it was uber-cool to be able to do something other kids couldn’t because you’d get to say “Learn it, know it, live it”, meaning you’d put in the work and now that’s what you were all about. Usually it had to do with the perfect lay-up or free throw.

Those words came to mind again when I thought What if changing the way you saw things followed the same simple pattern we set forth as kids playing basketball? What if the idea, for example, that happiness is your birthright became a maxim you lived by? Most of us were taught happiness is aleatory, temporary and merited. And what about letting go? Who hasn’t said that at least once but wound up dwelling (usually at 4 a.m.), mentally reviewing (a subset of dwelling) and covertly trying to coax fate into following our plan?

Discovering an idea or concept is the learn it. And it can end there, settling at the back of your brain without making an impact. To hear is one thing, to adhere is another.

Then getting to know it. Putting it into practice, trying it out for size. At first you have to remind yourself. Sometimes you forget, mess up and go back to the old pattern. You don’t notice you’ve strayed right away. After a while you correct course faster.

When that idea is ingrained it is your new mind-set. It’s the way you are now. You live it.

Photo: Pixabay.