There’s a secret for making learning stick for everyone.
And it involves a flashlight 🔦.
Imagine you’re holding a flashlight in a darkened room. You can point the flashlight in only two directions. One is away from you, so that when you move the flashlight around, it shines light into different parts of the room. The other is pointed towards you.
Depending on where you point the flashlight, your legs, feet, torso or head are filled with light. In this direction, the flashlight is lighting you up.
If you’re reading this now (hi there!), you’re probably in a giving profession, in which the task at hand is to give, lead, teach, or lead. In these activities, the flashlight is always pointed away from you.
And every time you go for professional development, sit through meetings, listen to a talk or read a professional journal, I’m guessing most of that time is focused on items that continue to point the flashlight out into the darkened room.
In this professional arena, it can be hard to be reminded to point the light at yourself!
But that’s exactly what I’m reminding you to do.
To use the Unleash Learning™ System to make learning stick for everyone it’s essential to remember that who you are matters.
So I want to remind you continually point the flashlight towards yourself.
Balance out the giving, teaching, serving, educating and leading for others, with giving, teaching, servicing, educating and leading for you. That’s right, you!
Your learners, audience, students or participants are engaging with you.
And while you’re working to make learning stick for everyone, it’s important to remember that part of the way to do that is by working to create a full, rich, healthy, balanced, congruent life.
The best way I know to make this a reality is to put appropriate tools into your calendar.
For instance, if you make the decision to get a monthly massage (you deserve it!), this will only really happen if you put it in your calendar.
If your intention is to get more sleep, you might need to diarise the time you will be waking up each morning and going to bed at night.
Your calendar is a great resource that, if used effectively, can support you in bringing out the best in your own life.
So in this month’s blog, I simply wanted to remind you of the necessity to point the flashlight to you.
Because to make learning stick for everyone, who you are matters.
Cheering you on!
William
