Conditioning is a major part in any sport. Some sports condition for precision, like golf, and some for lung capacity, such as swimming. And still others like soccer and football condition for precision as well as stamina. This is because the best coaches know that athletes need to be able to call on their skills not only when they’re rested, but more importantly when they’re tired. A number of people can drive a golf ball 300 yards, once. But how many can do it 40 times in a row? How many can do it under the pressure of game-time performance and the ache of a 3 day tournament? Big difference.
Just as athletes train their bodies, we need to train our minds and our temperaments. We already have to perform tasks that require problem solving and critical analysis at work, it’s highly unlikely that anyone reading this just turns a lever at a factory. That being said, we need to be able to come up with great ideas and great solutions throughout the week. Not just once a week. So how do we condition ourselves to continual learn? Through constant input of good information. Good in – Good out.
As we go through the work-weeks we are forced to have an output (nobody gets paid to just learn all day) of productivity that comes from within. It’s not magical, nor is it never-ending. We run out of creativity, we run out of ideas, we can become drained. We combat this through constantly putting ideas into ourselves through continual learning. Carve out time each day to intake information: read inspiring BOOKS, follow @inc, @fastcompany, and @forbes on twitter for great articles, and listen to audio books when we have down time. All of these will recharge a drained battery, give us something to talk about, and most importantly educate us in some way so we can continue our strives to push ourselves.
I fully believe that we cannot simply take in information, we must regurgitate it in some form whether it’s conversation, our work, or writing thoughts out. It must come out for us to fully comprehend what we’re taking in order to really grow. Just as we need to condition ourselves to continually learn, I am conditioning myself to continually write in order to hone my skills to finish my book. Yes, this is me announcing my book to the world. And although this is a small audience, I will continue blogging and continue to grow my audience so that January 1st, 2016 (my goal) when I am ready to release this book, I have a larger audience and I have years of practice under my belt.
Leave me a comment on your favorite thing to learn from below, I am always looking for ideas!
