7/21: Teaching is The New Learning, How To Get Back in The Game
A weekly conversation about the future of learning and earning.
Welcome back! Here’s the 7th edition of ‘Logs by Cabin’, a weekly conversation about the future of learning and earning.
#1: Teaching is the new learning
I was ready to quit. One more meeting and a premeditated resignation email would find its way onto my manager’s desk.
It felt like I was doing the same thing over and over again. Rinse and repeat. I wasn’t learning anything new. The learning curve had flattened.
I blamed my coworkers.
But then I realized they weren’t the problem. My mindset was. Lessons and opportunities were hiding in plain sight around me. I just chose not to see them, blinded by notions of “I’ve already done this before” or “this is a waste of time”.
Armed with newfound self-awareness, I tapped into the power of explicit learning. I realized that I could transform my personal hell into a paid degree by approaching every moment as a lesson.
You can too.
Explicit learning is being aware of how you learn, not just what.
That means realizing that the answers don’t always matter as much as the process. If you can reverse engineer HOW then you can always trace your “way back” to WHAT.
Knowledge is power, but being able to explain it simply to someone else is wisdom. And there’s always an opportunity to share what you know or have experienced with others who may be a few steps behind. There are billions of people looking for your specific superpower and experience online.
Next time you feel stuck, or like your growth is stunted, try the following:
Leverage the Socratic Method to ask questions and think critically. Approach every situation with an open mind and creating a ripple effect for others
Dedicate a few hours each week to learning a new skill, whether it’s through free online courses, practice, or YouTube videos
Deepen knowledge through the Feynman Technique, which requires you to be able to explain what you’ve learned
Take a deep breath and ask yourself “how can I learn from this?” Reframe monotonous work as “tutoring” or “teaching” moments
Write down one thing you’re grateful for every day and train your mind to search for inspiration, especially when you’re bored or disengaged
Have a good answer to Reid Hoffman’s litmus test question: “Thinking back to a significant project you worked on in the past, what’s the most important thing you’d tell your then-self to do differently?”
#2: How to get back in the game
You don’t need permission to give yourself a fresh start. Especially when things change so quickly.
The common trend this year is we’re becoming more in-tune with ourselves. Our families. Our friends. Our uniqueness, dreams, and ideas.
I think it comes from subconsciously asking tough questions when faced with even the slightest prospects of death.
Like what do I want to do with the rest of my life or who do I want to spend my time with?
Some were kind of prepared for the line of questioning, some still grappling with the ripple effects. For others, it felt like ripping off a band-aid. I was somewhere in between.
Because this wasn’t my first rodeo. I had already failed from college, been fired, lost friends. But that didn’t mean it was easy. It felt like pulling teeth.
Not sure about you, but COVID forced me to be more honest with myself.
What have I really done or learned in the past few years?
Who did I care about most, and why?
Where was my time being spent?
Everyone has to reinvent themselves at some point in their lives.
After a family loss. Job change. Missed promotion. Existential crisis. Fights with friends and significant others. We have the option to get better or worse. It’s up to us at the end of the day. And our mindset.
Analyze the current situation: be real with yourself. In 2013, a cigarette was my only motivation for getting out of bed. My locus of control had shifted externally. But once I realized it, I was able to control it. I began to screen the voices in my head for excuses. Then I challenged them and began to dispel negative thought patterns.
Raise the baseline: start with small habits. Get on the good side of compound interest and momentum to establish an anchor. An elevated platform makes for a better launchpad.
Help and listen to others: that’s how you discover yourself. In service of others, you learn what you’re passionate about, willing to do for free, and know better than others.
Treat life like a game: that’s how you win. Keep enjoying what you do and always searching for the next level.
Wood For The Fire, W(F)TF
(our way of saying “food for thought”):
Fixing your “broken pandemic brain”
Watch this live stream of Beluga whales migrating
Hilarious Twitter thread about the LA Times describing Twitter as a Myspace alternative
Fun fact: the MLB helped create Disney+
Fed reserve challenges crypto in favor of a digital dollar
Quote of the Week:
We all need small sparks, small accomplishments in our lives to fuel the big ones. Because it's the small sparks which start small fires, that eventually build enough heat to burn the whole f*cking forest down. - David Goggins
Featured Builder:
Lena Sesardic is a freelance writer and self-taught marketer that talks about SaaS product management and personal branding. Visibility and transparency are kinda her thing. This blog is a must-read for anyone promoting their service business!
Learn more about her journey here and stay tuned for our upcoming podcast episode!
So… what’d you think?
Share your feedback here. We’d love to hear any ideas for improvement or general thoughts. What story would you like to see covered next?
While you’re at it…