You Learn As You Go, Not As You Stay

It can be paralyzing to feel like we need all of the information before we can move forward in our lives. And in our culture, we use this terminology: "Knowledge is power." While this can be very true and it can be extremely wise to gain more knowledge, I've also found that we remain stuck when we seek the guarantee of certainty through knowledge.

How will this work out for me?

How can I know this is the best decision?

What happens if I'm wrong? 

These questions, among others, are all normal and necessary. Asking them is part of the process as we move toward change. But if we rely too heavily on the answers, we may never move forward because the truth is, we can't be certain. Life is filled with unknowns and we live in the tension of not knowing. Some seasons of our lives cause us to experience this tension more strongly than others. What's amazing is how these seasons, these awkward moments, often afford us with wonderful opportunities if we don't miss them. 

One of the best ways that we learn is through experience. We grow immensely when we live with a willingness to step out with the awareness that we don't have it all under control. We take the knowledge that we have gained and we apply it in real life scenarios.

Do we make mistakes? Absolutely! Do we learn a ton? Yes! 

I'm living in this reality right now. I started a new project a number of months ago and if I could go back in time and adjust my approach I would change so many things. But the truth is, the hindsight has given me insight. Though that feels painful in some ways, I have gained a whole new set of tools to employ on my next project. This is GOLD.

So today, I wonder: Where are you at in the process? 

I offer this reminder and encouragement to you: You learn as you go, not as you stay...