Your Hour of Growth!
Utkarsh Narang
Scaling High Performing Teams | Speaker | Author | Coach | Humanising Leadership
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”?– Mahatma Gandhi
Dear Friend,
The human brain is a fascinating organ. In today’s letter, I will talk to you about the impact of learning on the brain, why learning needs to be at the center of our existence, and what did an 87-year-old Italian man say about himself!?
The brain starts to mature even before birth and we have seen enough health drink ads to know that the rate is highest in the early years! The brain still continues to evolve throughout life. One of the most efficient ways to program the brain is Learning. Learning experiences change how the brain functions - both at the anatomical level and the molecular level. You might have heard that phrase - Neurons that fire together, wire together.?
Learning not only stimulates the young brain of a child but also that of a person in middle age or even someone who is in their 60s and beyond. The aging brain also grows new synapses once it is challenged, as is the case for a young brain.?
Now I want you to recall the time when you learned to ride a bike, or learned a new function in excel that made your life easy or maybe learned to play an instrument at the age of 55. How did that make you feel? As I close my eyes and think about these learning experiences, I feel a sense of joy, happiness and empowerment come over me. Is it true for you as well??
If learning gives us so much joy then why should we ever stop learning? Now whether you are a student in school/college, an individual contributor grappling with the higher management, a manager tackling multiple projects, or the CEO/Board of an organization making strategic decisions to take the organization to the next level - Can you find a new thing to learn? Can you find a new habit to inculcate? Can you challenge your limiting beliefs and evolve your thinking?
YES. YES. YES.?
Here’s one trick I can share - Put an hour on your calendar, daily, weekly, monthly, or any cadence that you can commit to - call it ‘Your Hour of Growth!’ That’s it. All you need to do now is to show up at that hour and make something happen for yourself. Trust me - if you do this for a few months, you will see a significant shift in life!?
Finally, we come to that 87-year-old Italian man! This phrase ‘Ancora Imparo’ is (mis)attributed to Michelangelo, an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the Renaissance period. At the ripe age of 87 years, after having painted the Sistine Chapel, The Creation of Adam, The Drunkenness of Noah, created the Statue of David, and more, he said the phrase ‘Ancora Imparo’, which means Yet, I am Learning.?
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As always, let’s turn the lens towards you, if Michelangelo at 87 can say this, then what is stopping you from becoming a better version of yourself? What desired future are you yearning for and what steps can you take to achieve it? Do send me some responses - I love to read them and I do respond to every message that comes my way!?
Until then, live well.?
Utkarsh
Coaching Builds a Growth Mindset
Coaching is an individualized?learning journey. The coachee decides the destination and the path. The coach simply walks next to you with a mirror in their hand. Are you ready to be coached? Let's do one better - Are you ready to bring coaching to your teams and organization?
Affirmation for the Week
“I am a work in progress. Evolving to my best self.”
Global HR Leader I Area Director HR I Thought Leader I Hospitality I Airlines I Hotels I Marriott International I Emirates
11 个月Utkarsh, it’s a great reminder about learning mindset. It elevates us to next level. Very nicely articulated ??
Group Editor at Banking Frontiers; Founder Director at Glocal Infomart Pvt. Ltd.; Editor at FIDC News
2 年There is too much to learn.....so what to focus on learning is the real challenge. One way to make that choice is to see how quickly you can get the benefit and hence the joy. Utkarsh, your examples of cycling, excel and music of things that give a very quick reaction. Learning becomes a pain rather than a joy when the reaction comes much later. Children find study of maths, geography, chemistry, etc, a pain because they will spend years learning before they get any benefit and joy out of it. Same is true for adults....if I start learning a new language, it will be several months before I start getting the benefits. It is this kind of learning that requires motivation and commitment and discipline....and those who don't have it, usually drop out sooner or later.
Scaling High Performing Teams | Speaker | Author | Coach | Humanising Leadership
2 年“Leadership is hard to define, and good leadership even harder. But if you can get people to follow you to the ends of the earth, you are a great leader.” Indra Nooyi (Former CEO, PepsiCo)
Scaling High Performing Teams | Speaker | Author | Coach | Humanising Leadership
2 年“The ability to learn is the most important quality a leader can have.” Padmasree Warrior (CEO & Founder, Fable)
Scaling High Performing Teams | Speaker | Author | Coach | Humanising Leadership
2 年Growth is the only evidence of life. ~John Henry Newman