My career has taken me along a path that is highly involved with people. I’ve been fortunate to meet and work with a wide variety of personalities and talents.
Hundreds of conversations have unfolded about development, growth, and careers. At the heart of every conversation has been a consistent pillar; being open to and engaging in continuous learning no matter how difficult or uncomfortable it may be. If you think “I’ve arrived” upon reaching a particular goal, level, title, or dream organization, you may also think that’s where the journey ends. Afraid not. There will always be something else, something tugging at your peripheral thoughts, propelling you to achieve ‘the next best thing’. As much as you may want it, don’t expect it unless you are ready to commit to learning.
“Commit yourself to lifelong learning. The most valuable asset you’ll ever have is your mind and what you put into it.”
– Albert Einstein
When I was born, I instinctively learned to take a breath, to cry as a means for expressing I needed something. As I grew, I learned from my surroundings what to do and say to navigate each life stage – trial and error. Then I started my career and achieved some fantastic and rewarding milestones, but as time passed, milestones were further away and harder to reach. I still recall one of my leaders sharing a story about his early career days when he’d witness others being promoted leaving him wondering ‘why not me’. He humbly shared that after asking this question several times – and revealing his envious viewpoint without making any progress himself – he was guided to ask a different question. So, instead of the negative reflection, which yielded nothing but negative emotions, he learned to congratulate his peers and to ask ‘what did you do to grow yourself’. It wasn’t long after shifting his mindset and inquiring to learn that he too was recognized and promoted.
Life is not an easy journey. Rarely do we receive all that we desire served on a silver platter. It requires hard work, an open mindset, and a commitment to learning. When I look around I see unlimited possibilities to learn and it goes far beyond enrolling in formal programs or reading a book. I have to commit to embrace that there are an infinite number of perspectives and that often there is no right or wrong answer. It requires a diligent practice of remaining open versus getting stuck.
The mindset we hold can either limit our progress or open opportunities through learning day in and day out – observing, iterating, trialing, reflecting, and owning our part and impact in every decision. If I’m truly honest with myself, I think I finally became vulnerable to continuous learning when the life of my eldest daughter became threatened by mental illness, when I started making big mistakes at work, when my youngest daughter began to show the stresses of our family pressures. It became blatantly obvious that I needed to learn, adapt, and grow – in ways I’d never considered before – in order to care for myself and support my family.
I am thankful for the turbulent experiences because they taught me to be open. They taught me to commit that from the seed of every experience there is learning to be harvested. My favourite thing to learn about is myself and other people because it keeps me free from stuck perspectives that might block progress. It takes practice and commitment, but boy is it worth it!
– Melissa Law
