Learn, Do, Teach

During a webinar I recently attended, I listened to a guest speaker David. Even though I took notes for about almost two hours, one nugget stood out to me the most.  This was this phrase. “Learn, Do, and Teach.”

David said that I needed to keep learning.  Yet, this was not in a manner like in school.  He explained it was a continuous cycle of learning.  For example, when I read a book or listened to an audio, I now had the knowledge in my head. Yet, I would soon forgot it unless I did something with it. It would be push back to my farthest memories.  So, I needed to apply this knowledge.  The best way to apply the teaching is to personally do what these people are teaching.

Now, that I am in action mode, this knowledge is in physical form, and I would now remember. Yet, this is where most of society stops. For example, I realized from what he said last night that I did not truly learn anything from my course in college. The reason is I memorized my way through college. I way no memories of any of the facts I learned in those years and this is because of the next step.

The third step is Teaching. I never taught others while in college so I eventually forget everything I memorized unless it is something I used on a daily basis. I now need to teach what I learn to others.  David said, when I teach what I remembered to others, while I am in action mode, I will now truly understand whatever I’m learning.  My appetite for knowledge will just grow and I will need to go and get more knowledge for myself to teach.

I realized that David was right because I was thinking about content in the blogs I write. I have been writing for awhile. For the first month it was fun, yet I had no ideas left. Then, I said “why don’t I teach what I have learned in all these books I read and seminars I’ve been too.”  Yet, after a few months I realized that I had nothing else to write about. The reason was I had stop reading and listening to audios during that time. My content library in my head was empty. So I was thirsty for knowledge. I went out and picked up a leadership themed book that I had not read in almost five years and read it that night. I was so excited. I took some notes, and I now had some ideas of more content to write.

It was then that I realized that I could not stop reading and I needed to attend all the teachings I could. Otherwise, I would no longer have any content to write about in my blogs.  My goal is to write daily.  So, everyday I read something and I listen to an audio of some-type, even if its on YouTube as long as it’s motivating. There is always something inspirational on beBee. 

So, I am writing this article because I am in the Doing (Action), and Teaching mode at the same time at this moment.  Not all my content is teaching, yet that is just Marketing technique. It is just a bigger funnel for the Internet.  That is why I write about a wide variety of topics.  Yet, my main topic of teaching I want to write about is what I learn from my books and the leaders who teach me.

When I share, or teach what I have applied, my "cup" is empty. I can now refill it again.