#Day7: Lifelong Learning

We recently received an email from a 2010 LeaderShape Institute graduate. She was reaching out because she hadn’t written a thank you letter to a donor who helped provide a discount for her fee to attend the program and wondered if she could still send it along.

We don’t often get emails like this so it was a bit of a surprise. We either get the thank you letter shortly after the Institute or we don’t get it at all. This letter was going to be different and we were all curious and eager to read what it would say.

The opening line of the letter reads, “It has been about four years since I attended The LeaderShape Institute back in August of 2010. Although this letter is very long overdue, I feel that now, years later, I can truly express how this program benefited me.”

These words are a terrific demonstration of how the processes of learning, meaning-making, and sharing can continue beyond an actual experience. LeaderShape talks a lot about the importance of being a life-long learner. Often times this sentiment is talked about in the spirit of current, active learning.

Perhaps the concept of being a life-long learner can also represent being open to learning from past experiences as well.

Our perspectives change (and maybe even evolve or expand) as we are exposed to new people, ideas, and circumstances. As we move further away from an experience, our take on it may change as well. This shift can open up new or deeper lessons. It can expand how we view what we thought, how we behaved, and what we learned last week, last month, or, in this instance, years ago. We can continue to learn from something, even years later.

When we think about #Day7 - about staying in action even after the Institute has ended - a part of it is about this commitment to lifelong learning. 

Lifelong learning - from the past and in the present. We are onboard with this.

How are continuing to learn from experiences you’ve had in the past? Tell us about it in the comments below.