Learning
A way through the challenges of personal growth.
In life, learning is a thread that weaves its way through every experience, every triumph, and every setback. Winston Churchill, a man of immense wisdom and resilience, on November 4, 1952, during a House of Commons debate, said, «Personally I’m always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught» This sentiment, while seemingly paradoxical, encapsulates the essence of personal growth. It is a tribute to the human spirit’s unyielding quest for knowledge and understanding, even when learning is challenging.
This mindset finds a kindred spirit in the words of the genius Vincent van Gogh, who, on August 18, 1885, in a letter to Anthon van Rappard, wrote: «I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.» Van Gogh’s words echo Churchill’s sentiment, also highlighting the importance of stepping outside our comfort zones, daring to do what we cannot, to learn and grow.
Both Churchill and Van Gogh recognized implicitly that learning is not always a comfortable process. It requires us to confront our limitations, grapple with our shortcomings, and strive for better. Yet, it is through this process that we truly learn, not when knowledge is handed to us on a silver platter, but when we actively seek it out, when we challenge ourselves to do what we cannot, and in doing so, transform the supposed impossible into the possible.
As we navigate through the complexities of life, let us remember Churchill’s and Van Gogh’s words. Let us remain open to learning, even when the process is uncomfortable or we do not like being taught, for it is through these experiences that we truly grow, learn, and become.
