Tonight, I had dinner with people I haven’t known for long. I guess you can say that I sort of just met them.
We’re traveling for work, and after a whole day of visits and inspections, we sat down, had dinner, and talked.
Then, out of curiosity, one of my companions asked a question. About possibilities, and the past.
The response and story that followed, was so authentic, and spoke of a life of principle, leadership, authenticity, and love.
When I sat down for dinner, little did I know that that moment would be so fruitful and enriching for me. I felt honored to be there.
To my companions, thanks for asking the question, thanks for the honest and open response, and thanks for the presence and listening. That moment was truly such a blessing.
Be Humble.
I didn’t know it all, and it was especially easy for me to keep an open mind because they were all from an industry and background that I was not from. Different worlds, yet still people with very human and relatable experiences.
And being humble is not only knowing you don’t know what’s right all the time, it’s also an acceptance that there is still something for you to learn. That there’s something for you to discover, and nuances for you to uncover.
Knowing you don’t know, and trying to learn what you don’t know, are very similar and different cousins.
And it can be easy to hear concepts and lessons already heard before, yet veiled, packaged in a story that’s very real and authentic.
And it can be too easy for us to think: “I’ve heard that before.”
It’s a hindrance when we think we can learn nothing from a person. It’s pride and selfishness. It’s a wasted opportunity.
It’s like throwing away gold.
Ask Questions
I’m lucky that someone asked a question to get the ball rolling, and the story flowing, so to speak. And there were some things that I was also curious about.
So then I asked.
I asked carefully, meaningfully, and timely.
I waited for the thoughts to finish, and for the message to be conveyed. I thought carefully, and let my curiosity show, yet not get the best of me.
It was like riding waves. You go with the flow, high or low. You time your pushes right, and feel when it was time to hold back.
Also, I asked questions to myself. And let myself do some answering as well.
What Struck Me The Most?
And as I was asking myself this question, and formed an answer to it, I gained a deeper understanding of myself and my thoughts and feelings in the moment.
This served as a reflection of my self. A snapshot in the mirror, if you will.
My answer to the question told me what I noticed about what was being told to me. It told me of what I held dear, found important, to what I was looking for or listening to.
Or maybe, that I was never really listening at all.
Find Things To Be Grateful For.
In that moment, I was grateful for the company of new friends.
I was grateful to have met truly authentic, passionate, and generous people. People who are using their talents and gifts to make a better world, and make a difference in people’s lives.
I also found out some interesting facts about some pop culture and past events.
I was grateful to be in there presence, and to have been part of that experience.
It’s so easy to focus on negatives. We humans, are hardwired to look for danger, distress, and the bad that can happen.
It would have been so easy for me to tune out, just take what I can, and leave.
It would have been so easy for me to not care. To just discard the golden opportunity in front of me, all because of selfishness and comfort.
Thank God I didn’t give in.
What Did I Learn?
And suddenly, a teacher and mentor of mine flashes into my memory, because I first experienced this from him.
at 7:30 in the morning, first thing in class, he would ask us “What did you learn today?”
I found that baffling at first. I haven’t even done anything today, and yet you’re asking me what I learned? But I haven’t had a chance to experience anything to learn from yet!
BZZZT. Wrong.
Turns out, every moment in our lives, is a chance and opportunity to learn and get better.
Tonight, I learned that leadership, and leadership over yourself, is so important to getting things done, making a difference, and living your life.
I learned that we all have our own struggles, and it is important for us to respect and honor other people’s struggles, and to honor the lessons they share with others.
I also was reminded of the brutal lesson that when an idea comes to you, you’ve got to capture it, write it down quickly. Honor the muse.
Good thing I was still able to remember most of my reflections from tonight.
How Can I Apply This In My Life?
It is not enough that we know. To make a difference, and make lessons into actions, we have got to do.
And knowing is different from the doing.
Or doing is also a different form of knowing. You also have to try, to start doing. By doing, you also start learning along the way. You then find out better, faster, easier, stronger ways of doing. By doing, you’re also knowing more.
You don’t really know, until you do.
So then the learning doesn’t stop from just gathering reflections and realizations. These have to be put into action, if you want to see a difference and change happen.
What are some of my responses to this question?
Live life as the best version of you. Be authentic in the moment. Don’t lie to yourself.
Write it down. Don’t trust your memory.
Make the most out of every moment.
Do you have any tips on making the most out of any moment? Reply and share in the comments below!
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