My Pastor says this all the time to our congregation, “Teaching is repeating until learning takes place,” meaning that until we are able to APPLY what we have been taught, we have not LEARNED what was intended to assist in our growth. So until we learn what has been taught, he will continue to teach on the same topic many different ways…
I remember as a child, getting in trouble all the time because I never completed my chores before going outside to play. Then, being the oldest girl in the family, there was the double whammy: getting in trouble also if my other siblings did not complete their chores.
I loved-loved-loved playing softball and would literally get up at the break of day to be on the baseball field just as the sun was coming up. I would not come home until it was too dark outside to see the baseball being hit or thrown. Not being able to go outside and play was excruciatingly painful for me and I got tired of knowing that as soon as I got home, I would be punished for not following the instructions given by my mother. I hated chores as most kids do; however, there was an expectation from my mother to complete the tasks assigned before she got home from work.
During the last of my many punishments, while laying across my bed, I pondered to myself this question, “What do I need to do to complete my chores and still be able to play outside all day?” And, “how can I get my siblings to get their chores done on time as well?” I valued my time outside so much that my solution became a simple one: I would get up at 5am each morning and complete everybody’s chores! In my mind, the cost of doing everyone else’s chores was minimal versus the hours and hours of fun I would have playing outside.
As an entrepreneur, what lessons are continuing to be repeated in your life that you have not yet learned? How often are YOU the roadblock to your own success because you refuse to APPLY what you have been taught? How many more times will the lesson have to be repeated before you make the necessary adjustments to begin growing?
Learn from your mistakes. Take notes as soon as you fail. Earmark the point in which you failed and establish a plan of action for the next go round. Make the necessary sacrifice to move your business forward, for “teaching is repeating until learning takes place!”
-Roycelle Parker
