Learn Constantly No Matter How Annoying It Is

Some things that annoy us the most grow us the most.

I never asked for some of my biggest lessons. I probably didn't ask for any of them. They hurt. They bruised. They provoked anxiety. They made me sweat. But I learned.

I learned that people need lots of attention. That sending an email isn't enough. That a handshake (and even a kiss) doesn't mean that a deal won't ever be broken. That broken promises (especially when a kiss IS involved) are the hardest lessons to take.

We go on. We strive forward. We learn. We forgive.

I am annoyed by big lessons. My ex-wife once gave me a little present that was a miniature traffic cone with the words "Oh no, not another learning opportunity!" on it. That about sums it up: not right now please, I'd rather not get that lesson.

We don't always get to pick the timing, but we do get to decide whether or not we learn from those things that annoy us. Things like the team member who isn't finishing the important task, or the boss who has no patience for doing things right (Aren't you done yet???), or the financial transaction that went in the wrong direction. We can have the experience and learn, or we can just endure the experience (and then probably experience it again later because we haven't, you know, learned.)

Guess we might as well learn...

What have you learned today?

-- Doug Smith

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