Expanding Your Brain
The Daily Practice of Absorbing and Processing New Ideas
One of my favorite quotes is by Oliver Wendell Holmes, who says, “One’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.” Isn’t that fascinating to think about? Every piece of knowledge, every concept, and every creative idea we think about alters the makeup of our minds!
The idea is to learn something new every day. I take this very seriously in my own life. Learning comes in many different formats — some people love reading; others enjoy audiobooks and podcasts; some need to get their hands dirty in order to truly learn; some people love teaching others. No matter how I learn, I make it a point to stretch my mind daily in some way.
Learning is a lifelong love of mine. When I go too long without stretching my brain into a new domain, I can sense that I’m starting to get soft on myself. Without challenge, and a bit of discomfort, we won’t grow in the same ways we do when we’re challenged.
So what’s your favorite learning style? How do you process new information and experiences most effectively? Do you know these answers as they relate to your team?
Once you discover your learning style(s), you can seek out new resources and tools daily to stretch your mind — to expand your experiences. What new things are you currently learning about and exploring? And who in your circle of influence may stand to benefit from what you’re learning?
Make sure your mind never regains its original dimensions — learn something new every day.
