Just a Thought about Listening and Learning….

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts”. ~ Harry S Truman

I am a life long learner. For as long as I can remember, even as a child, I have always love, love, loved learning new things. One of my favorite things to do in all the world is attend a great conference. I could sit all day in sterile hotel conference rooms with long tables that stretch for miles each way, taking notes that will most always be tossed away at my next drawer clean out and leave me wondering if any of it STUCK or if I have gotten any smarter over the years.

I have pressed in harder than the average bear to learn and grow to be a better–wife, mom, teacher, leader, friend, Jesus lover–for as long as I can remember.

I have MANY years worth of John Maxwells 20 year old audio tapes from his monthly training class Maximun Impact. I joyfully paid the monthly membership fee and gleefully opened a fresh tape each month as they arrived in my mailbox. I even have the bonus notebooks that hold all the 3 ring listening notes still resting on a holy shelf in my home office. I blow the dust off often and smile at my young handwriting and my big dreams.

I have always loved listening to and following great teachers, preachers and speakers. Spiritual, business, leadership, writing, speaking, motivation and inspiration. You name it, I have read the book or been to the conference.

I can only hope and pray that some of the amazing things I have heard have made a difference in who I am and what I have accomplished!!

That I have actually RETAINED some of it?!!

I have to admit that I have more often felt like a leadership failure than John Maxwell trained success. I still walk away from most every podium wondering if my own speech made any sense at all but trusting that some who my 3 points have touched a heart. The truth is my learning tank feels like it has HUGE holes in it and somewhere between receiving and note taking and application, I often feel lost.

For the past week I have been listening to Michael Hyatt’s A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. and FREE online Influence and Impact Summit”.

Today, I actually cried as I listen to Michaels closing speech. I want to take this stuff deep into my head and heart so very MUCH. I want to share it even MUCHER 🙂

I want to make a difference and I want to apply what I hear in a practical way that actually shows up in my daily determination to share something of value with my world.

My hearts desire is to inspire a life of freedom and passion in every single person God places on my path.

I feel the same way about God’s Word. Lord, let it not just go in one ear and out the other. Please Father, place a peg in my brain for your truth and your character to hang a hat on and stay a while.

Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Each day learn something new, and just as important, relearn something old. ~Robert Brault

How about you? Do you ever feel like you are always learning but have never quite learned?

I’d love to hear your thoughts 🙂

xoxo

Pat