Growing by Learning, Learning by Growing 🌱
Insights about learning, success, failures and growth in life.
Hello, and welcome to Reflections. I'm Sanuj, a physician. I write educational posts about health, wealth, family and other topics that interest me. If you're new here, you can learn more about Reflections in the about page. If you would like to read more, hit the subscribe button below to catch my weekly posts and join a growing list of readers around the globe.
Growth is an inherent part of life, a continuous journey that shapes our experiences, beliefs, and ultimately, who we become. It isn't just limited to physical aspects alone. Growth is possible in every sphere of life. You grow through your education, you grow with your friends, you grow your skills, you grow in your profession, and you grow in your relationships. However, growth isn’t linear. The path of growth is filled with thorns, and swamps where the destination seems out of reach. But if were to hope, persevere and continue our journey through challenging terrain, we are bound to come across greener pastures. What we must strive for is to continue on the path of growth despite the many downs.
Learning is the key to growth. In the movie, the Lion King, Rafiki, the mandril talks to a grown-up Simba, the protagonist, who is still hurting from his painful past. He says,
The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.
Rafiki teaches him a valuable lesson here. Running from our past failures degrades our growth and makes us stagnant. Setbacks are opportunities to learn from, to try again and to avoid the same mistakes from the past. Learning paves the way for further growth.
Although, the path of growth isn't linear, the direction should be. Crests and troughs are what make life beautiful. Happiness is experienced only when you know what it means to be sad. Negative experiences make us yearn for the opposite. When good things come our way we truly understand and cherish it because we now know how miserable we were during bad times.
In the same way, failures in life are lessons that aid us in the path of growth. Failures help us set new benchmarks to overcome. A failure helps us look for an alternative or a smarter way to move forward. Our failures help us emerge with greater perseverance and determination to complete our goals. Application of the lessons learnt from our success and failures help us grow further. Failure drives success and ergo, growth. Those lessons teach us how to adapt and overcome hurdles when we get back on track in the path of growth.
Knowledge comes through learning, but wisdom comes when you grow with your learning. For example, consider a young man who has spent years studying medical textbooks and gaining clinical experience to become a physician. Initially, he relies heavily on textbook knowledge to diagnose and treat patients. However, as he encounters a variety of cases and learns from each patient interaction, he realizes that the practice of medicine goes beyond textbooks. Over time, he starts to see patterns and connections that weren't immediately obvious. He learns to adapt textbook knowledge with real-world insights, such as understanding that limitation of resources, patient lifestyle and personal circumstances can significantly impact health and healthcare. He learns from his textbooks but grows through his experience. He now treats not just with knowledge but with compassion and understanding too. His growth teaches him new lessons and those new lessons help him grow further - a productive cycle of learning and growth. Apply this example to any field and you'll find that it is the same everywhere.
Both physical growth and mental growth may be limited by genetic and environmental factors. Yet, we have seen and heard of numerous personalities who have pushed boundaries (so called weaknesses) and lead exceptional lives. What society perceives as their weakness becomes their strength. If they can go the extra mile despite challenges, and continue to grow, what excuse do we have?
In this short span of time that we call life, growth is what adds meaning to it. It is not confined to any particular stage of life; it is a lifelong journey. Each phase of life presents unique opportunities and challenges that contribute to our development. Growth is akin to being wiser every day. By growing, we not only enhance our lives but the lives of others too. So, learn as you grow and grow as you learn.
Growth, indeed, isn't a straightforward process. It involves navigating through various challenges and setbacks, which can often make the goal seem distant or unattainable. However, the key is perseverance and maintaining hope. Wonderful piece Sanuj!
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Great analogy Sanuj! using that scene from Lion King! Love all the life lessons animated movies give us.