Teachability is a precious quality. As long as you are learning you are growing. Teachability means the ability to learn by instruction. It is learning about others from others with others.
If you think you know it all now, then what you know now is as good as it gets. Are you satisfied with that? Limited knowledge is what keeps one ignorant. Lack of education or awareness limits personal growth and learning opportunities. It hinders informed decision-making in daily life and contributes to the spread of misinformation and stereotypes. Other aspects of ignorance reduce empathy and understanding of diverse perspectives and can lead to poor health choices due to lack of knowledge. In addition, it impairs critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Many problems in the world remain problems due to ignorance.
Teachability is a cure for the disease of ignorance. I have often heard the phrase, “What I don’t know won’t hurt me.” Another common saying is, “Ignorance is bliss.” However, neither of these is true. The false inclination of this train of thought may last for a season but in the end will only bring pain, chaos, and remorse to one’s life. To remedy this, teachability is essential.
Do not limit yourself from knowing. Open up your heart and mind to continuous learning and personal development. Learn to adapt to new situations and challenges. Share your ideas with others and be willing to collaborate through effective teamwork. You do not have all the answers, but you do have a piece of the puzzle. Exercise resilience and view failure as a part of learning.
As a leader, I once thought I had to know all the answers. I felt inferior when I could not solve problems on my own. Once I realized that true leadership was setting the example of what to do, I was able to be real and transparent. This did not reveal my ignorance; in fact, it demonstrated my teachability. Instead of trying to be a “know it all” and getting it wrong, I was able to be honest in not knowing all the answers. This opened up the opportunity to help find them and learn something new myself.
I love learning. And as long as I am learning, I am growing. I am just fine not knowing it all. I have so much more to discover. I invite you to come and grow with me! It’s a good time to be you!
Peace and Joy,
Coach Angela