Category Archives: Experience

A Continuous Part of Life

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“Education is not something to prepare you for life; it is a continuous part of life.”

—Henry Ford, American industrialist

Photo from Flickr by CODnewsroom

Photo from Flickr by CODnewsroom

When you completed your formal education – whether it was grade school, high school, college or an advanced degree – how prepared were you for the professional and personal roles you have today?

Henry Ford knew as well as anyone that our education depends significantly on the continuous, iterative lessons we learn through life experiences. This form of education puts us to the test before we capture the lessons we need to live successful lives.

EXERCISE:

When and in what ways can you embrace the idea that lifelong learning, and being a continuous work in progress, is the best form of education to prepare you for your future?

“I’m not a genius. I’m just a tremendous bundle of experiences.”

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“I’m not a genius. I’m just a tremendous bundle of experiences.”

– R. Buckminster Fuller, architect and inventor

560Image from Flickr by Ohio Office of Redevelopment.

Buckminster Fuller was a remarkable man. At the age of 32, he decided to use his life as “an experiment to discover what the little, penniless, unknown individual might be able to do effectively on behalf of all humanity.”

Over the next 54 years, he:

  • Was awarded 25 US patents.
  • Authored 28 books.
  • Received 47 honorary doctorates in the arts, science, engineering, and the humanities.
  • Received dozens of major architectural awards.
  • Circled the globe 57 times, reaching millions through his pop-up lectures and interviews.
  • Popularized the geodesic dome, the lightest, strongest, and most cost-effective structure even devised.

Even Albert Einstein was prompted to say to him, “Young man, you amaze me.”

Exercise:

How can you enhance and expand your own professional and personal experiences to discover and pursue your own genius and amaze yourself?

To learn more about Buckminster Fuller, you can go to: www.socialsynergetics.com/site/bucky-fuller

“The more sand [that] has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.”

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“The more sand [that] has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.”

– Jean Paul, German Romantic writer

549Image from Flickr by graymalkn.

Close your eyes and imagine a man or woman of great wisdom. What do they look like? Estimate their approximate age. If you are like most people, you have likely envisaged a somewhat or significantly older individual, with their share of lifelines.

Jean Paul seems to be suggesting that with more and more life experiences, we will gain greater clarity and perspective on the world. I would suggest that we must add the thoughtful acts of self-reflection, objectivity, and open-mindedness to fully realize the daily nuggets of wisdom that are available to enhance our vision.

Exercise:

Purchase an old-fashioned egg-timer, which can represent a mini hourglass, and consider a daily period of self-reflection on your professional and personal efforts.