Survival of the Fittest
by Michael Riggs, M.Ed
Charles Darwin, through his study of native life on the the Galapagos Islands, theorized that all life forms must learn to evolve to continue their lineage — or they will perish. And so, certain animals evolved colors that allowed them to hide form predators, others developed a highly sensitive sense of smell to detect an upcoming meal, while others “learned” to curl up in an armored ball to protect themselves from slashing talons. From Frisbee-like seeds that rode the wind to find fertile soil to flowers with leaf structures that acted as living funnels to irrigate themselves, plants, as well, developed characteristics that increased the likelihood that their seeds would produce more of their own. Nature has an uncanny way of selecting which species will continue and which will not. In our modern world of planes, trains and automobiles, we too, must evolve in order to survive.
While great performers in business, the arts, medicine, and life have created and discovered many ways to evolve and triumph over their competition, none has proven more effective than learning how to learn. Consider this concept: You know what you know, you know what you don’t know, but you don’t know what you don’t know. (Go ahead, give it another read, or two, until the fog lifts.) The simple brilliance of the statement lies in the realization that in order to learn, grow, mature, develop, evolve and become something more than you are now you must open yourself up to learning.
We all know that 2+2=4. Most of us know that we don’t know how to successfully remove a tumor from deep inside the brain of an ailing patient. But, in order to move from “not knowing” to “knowing” we must place ourselves in a state of thinking and being where we realize and embrace that we simply don’t know what we don’t know. Bringing unknown knowledge and information into our lives so that we may use it to develop and evolve it is essential. In order to evolve we must be inquisitive without judgment, receptive without critique, and absorbent without filter. Learning to thrive in our modern world is about learning.
When we are able to earnestly absorb and learn – like a child discovering the true nature of mud by squishing it through his fingers – we find ourselves evolving into beings that are fit and ready to lead. We become individuals ready to transform ourselves and our society into one of promise and hope. When we refuse to open our hearts and minds to newness and change, it is at that moment that we insure our pathway to extinction.
What will you learn today?
S² Tip
Never stop learning.
Success Story
Congrats to entrepreneur Matt Snider, founder of FishExplorer.com for your creativity and perseverance in building the ultimate freshwater fishing resource in Colorado, Texas and now, Florida! Fish on!
In Another’s Words…
“Leaders must learn to discipline their disappointments. It’s not what happens to us, it is what we choose to do about what happens that makes the difference in how our lives turn out. ” — Jim Rohn, Motivational Speaker