Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one’s self-esteem. That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily. ~Thomas Szasz

Continuing on the back to school theme today.

Every time I have gone to a seminar or listened to something new I have this moment where I realize that I don’t know everything and I better listen close. (The fact that I don’t know everything will likely come as a surprise to you all, especially my wife).

I think of that moment as one of humility. Putting my ego aside to accept that I have done things wrong in the past and with new information maybe I can do a little better.

One of life’s great balancing acts is the one between humility and confidence.

We must have the humility to accept that which we do not know and the confidence to move forward in spite of our lack of knowledge.

Maybe it’s just me lately, but it seems like maybe the “big secret” behind some of these principles is this:

Put others first.

Putting others first opens us and our lives up to so many new possibilities. Only when we get out of our own selfish and ego driven cocoons do we see how wonderful this world really is.

I will end with a proverb that was given to me and is a magnet on my file cabinet at home:

Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.

Make it a great day.

Jake