Learning from experience teaches you a lot, but it is easy to miss the lesson if your head is buried in work. If you’re not conscious it’s easy to take deep and valuable lessons for granted.
Taking lessons for granted is dangerous because it means you are undervaluing educational opportunities. You may not be aware that you are learning things that will be very valuable to you in the future, and as a result you may give up or quit, letting valuable knowledge and experience slip right through your figures.
The way to avoid this trap is to build a habit of reflection. To build in time for reflection about the ways you are learning, growing, and improving. Some ways that I find most productive are:
- Journalling: Every evening (or morning) take 3 minutes and write out a list of lessons, big and small, that you learned during the day. This small act of writing out lessons learned shifts your perspective will help you realize what you’re learning, and will generally make you happier, progress=happiness
- Coaching: There are many forms of coaching, but finding someone to regularly talk to and reflect on your work is extremely valuable. Like journaling, it helps draw your attention to progress your making but has the added benefit of another person’s perspective, questions, and suggestions.
- Walking / Meditating: Taking time to be present and free of inputs allows you to gain perspective on your work and life in general. It helps you zoom out and realize that big stressors aren’t that big in the big picture and it helps you see the value and blessings in your life that you may be overlooking.
If you are feeling stuck and like you’re not growing, it may because of your enviroment, but it may just be your perspective. You may overlooking the progress your making and the value that you are getting from simply showing up and grinding day in and day out. A simple change in perspective to notice the things you’re learning can makte all the difference in the way your day feels.
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