Learning by Reflection

LEARNING BY REFLECTION: Learning is about storing content and its interpretation in our long-term memory. It is like filing a book or pages in the library in a way that you can retrieve it whenever the need arises. 

Any stored information, content or knowledge that cannot be retrieved and applied is wasted and is of no use to anybody. So, reflection is necessary as it helps in the effective storing of knowledge.

SUNDAY, 14/04/2019: The week started with the Sunday Affirmation; “I am learning to use my unique talents, and make the world a better place”. This affirmation reminded me of my life purpose statement and its supporting interventions. My purpose in life is to facilitate people’s achievement of greatness through human capital, management and leadership development interventions. 

The tools or interventions I use to achieve this purpose are: coaching individuals and teams; mentorship of individuals and teams; advisory and supporting my clients and stakeholders; creating networks and networking broadly (physically and virtually using social media platforms); facilitation of development of individuals, organizations and communities; offering motivational and public speaking; Offering Consulting Services and Guidance as part of my professional service delivery; conducting Professional Lekgotla Conversations; Content Creation (through Blogging, Vlogging, Social Media postings, and Podcasting; Inspirational Radio/TV Talks & Interviews and Debates; Public Speaking at Conferences, Seminars, and Summits; Facilitation of Strategic and Organizational Development & Design Workshops; Writing of Articles and Opinion Pieces that invites responses from the other opinion makers, followers and fans, i.e. authorship.

I strongly believe that one must be a good reader of books and opinion pieces as a foundation to authorship. Technology enables one to grow followers, fans, supporters, interested stakeholders and reviewers before becoming a master in authoring books that will be liked by others.

MONDAY, 15/04/2019: The theme for this week was COURAGE & INSPIRATION. The goal was to boost your Courage and Inspire you to be Bolder in Life. These theme and goal were underpinned by the statement: “We are all more courageous than we know, we just need the right motivation!” 

Five questions for the week long pondering were:

1. Who could you share your dreams with who would support & encourage you? What is suggested by this question is that we must all have someone or more trusted people that will hold us accountable to our dreams and purpose in life.

2. What’s more important than your fear? What makes you courageous? This second question forces us to remember that fear must not be our enemy. We must befriend our Fear. Moreso, there must be something more important than our Fear. And we must identify that something and prioritize it. I guess success and the beauty of it could be it.

3. Where in your life would being more courageous bring you greater peace? To achieve greater peace in life we must be courageous, work hard, and be daring. It does not come on its own. Find that area of development in life and apply energies, effort on it until you have improved in that area. Many of us do not work hard on our weaknesses or areas of development but we hope that they will be addressed. That is not good enough. We owe it to ourselves to engage in a continuous professional and personal development journey, for as long as we are alive.

4. What would you dare to do if you were more courageous? Imagination is a powerful mental technique. One must imagine having courage and therefore having confidence, faith and self belief, i.e. being daring to go for a jugular.

5. So, what’s stopping you? Basically, we are encouraged to make the first move at all times. We have nothing to loose. And we miss it will only be a basis for learning and therefore just a delayed successes. Second time around that lesson will come in handy.

TUESDAY, 16/04/2019: “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage”, Anais Nin. If courage has such important influence on our lives, then we cannot afford not to have it in us. Life is a project and must constantly expand to have meaning to us. Everyone of us is capable of being courageous. It is a hidden talent in all of us. It must be cultivated and awoken. So, we have courage to do anything we so desire, hopefully positive in nature.

WEDNESDAY, 17/04/2019: “Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate, is strength undefeatable”; Helen Keller. Wow, what a mouthful! We only have two tough choices to make about life. That is either a daring adventure or nothing. I choose a daring adventure. Certainly none of us will go for nothing. We must look into change and embrace it. We are required to behave like free spirits in the presence of any fate. That is the strength that cannot be defeated. Helen Keller has put it so well for us to learn.

THURSDAY, 18/04/2019: “Courage is the price that life exacts to grant you peace”, Amelia Earhart. That is well said. This has been the theme throughout the week and indeed it is the source of peace as a result of confidence it brings.

FRIDAY, 19/04/2019: “Move your life in the direction of your deepest desires and heartfelt wishes. Be one of the brave few who are willing to live fearlessly, to face life head on, with courage and grit”; Fiona Harrold. In this quote, Fiona Harrold is encouraging us not to fear life. We must be fearless and take life head on. We must direct our lives to our deepest desires and heartfelt wishes. So, it does suggest that we must live purposefully. Each of us is expected to have desires and wishes. They determine or guide us on how we live.

SATURDAY, 20/04/2019: We end the week with a Journaling Prompt, a quotation from Robert Frost, who said, “ Freedom lies in being bold”, and the question, Where could I be bolder in my life?

CONCLUSION: This week’s theme COURAGE & INSPIRATION focused us, and made us learn about ourselves. That is the whole idea of daily inspirations, Saturday journaling, and Sunday affirmations.