One Great Key To Being Happy And Successful

Summary

The key to happiness and success is embracing continuous learning and growth, even through losses and challenges.

Abstract

The article emphasizes that a life of happiness and success hinges on an individual's commitment to lifelong learning. It suggests that regardless of one's current skill level, from novice to expert, the decision to view life as a learning experience and to learn from every situation, including intentional losses, is crucial. The author recounts personal experiences, such as hustling pool games to pay for college, to illustrate how seeking out mentors and being willing to lose for the sake of gaining knowledge can lead to personal and professional development. The article encourages readers to adopt an always-be-learning mindset, which can transform potential failures into opportunities for growth and prevent stagnation.

Opinions

The author believes that happiness and success are attainable by choosing to live life as a continuous learning experience.
Engaging with more skilled individuals as mentors is seen as a valuable method for improving one's abilities and achieving goals.
Losing can be a positive experience when framed as an investment in personal growth and an opportunity to learn.
Sharing knowledge with others is presented as a joyful and rewarding aspect of the learning process.
The article promotes the idea that a lifelong learning attitude leads to a fulfilling career, educational achievements, and effective leadership.
Mistakes should not be feared but rather embraced as part of one's growth path.
The author stresses that the rewards of being a lifelong learner extend infinitely to both personal and professional spheres.

Always be learning

Regardless of the endeavor, we typically find ourselves somewhere on the continuum between inept novice and lauded expert. We choose whether to remain stuck somewhere and repeat our mistakes or to live our life as a never-ending learning experience with multiple choices along the way. We can even choose to lose at times so we can be better.

Working my way through college, I ran out of money for tuition. This was before school loans became widely available. I had to drop out for several months to put away enough money to continue. In addition to the regular job I had, I would occasionally hustle pocket pool and snooker at the Greyhound bus station in downtown Detroit.

I was no Fast Eddie Felson (The Hustler), but I was good enough, and I kept getting better. Unlike Fast Eddie, I didn’t have to worry about getting my thumbs broken, because most of the people I played were about to get on a bus to take them somewhere else.

Even losing can be a happy experience

The way that I kept getting better, and put away money for tuition, was to purposely play with people at local pool halls that could beat me. In today’s language, I sought mentors. I would lose (think “invest”) a few dollars at the local pool halls so I could win more money at the Greyhound station and get back to earning my mechanical engineering degree. My losses were a growth experience.

I was happy to share my knowledge

If asked how I made a particular shot or how I made the cue ball dance, I would explain it. The people who were wise enough to ask weren’t upset about the price they paid for the knowledge they gained and took with them.

This same always-be-learning attitude has guided me through a happy, successful career, multiple degrees including an earned doctorate, and being a leader where people don’t have to fear making and admitting mistakes on their growth paths.

Key Tip: Always be learning, even when you are in a losing position. See and live your life as a learning and growth experience and you will not remain stuck or go stale.

Bottom Line: Whether personal or business, the joys and rewards of being a lifelong learner are never-ending!

One Great Key To Being Happy And Successful

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