I am happy to say that Offpoint Chatter has been accepted as part of Nightingale Conant’s affiliate network! I am excited about this for two reasons…

1) I am pleased because it will give me a way to monetize the site.

2) Now, having said that, more importantly, I will be able to recommend products that have helped me immeasurably the last 3 decades to grow as a human being, both personally and professionally. I do sincerely hope that when I recommend a product that you take the recommendation seriously and click through on the links and at least take a look at what is offered. I believe that I have purchased, listened to and learned from every audio program published by Nightingale Conant the past 30+ years. I owe much of who I am and what I have to their authors and publishers.

When I was much younger, I would spend countless hours at the side of my maternal grandfather. I am the oldest son of his only daughter. He took over my life at a very young age and had a significant influence on my life. One of his greatest concerns for me was that I get an “education.” To grandpa an education meant a college degree, period. This is something he longed for and never had the opportunity to obtain during his lifetime. However, the word “education” has meant much more than that to me in my life.

I began my odyssey to earn a college degree when I was 18 years old and earned my BFA 2 months after I turned 31. My journey took me from coast to coast and in-between. I ended up graduating with my degree having earned enough hours to have a PhD if I would have just remained more focused. My challenge has always been wanting to see and experience it all – whatever “it all” meant at the various stages in my life and development. I still suffer from it as I have not seen and experienced everything – yet.

I love science and physics, the social sciences, the humanities, history, and about every class I could take. However, when I headed down the path of design and art, I was hooked. Studying design and art truly teaches one how to think and observe the world around them. Knowing how to pay attention and analyze what one observes creates some important advantages in life. Once one learns the principles of art and design and how they relate to everything around them, they are able to creatively handle the challenges life throws their way.

Because of my grandfather’s insistence that I become “degreed” I became a life-long learner. This has meant everything to me. At a very young age I developed the habit of learning something new and different every day. This has done two things for me…

First, I know a lot of “stuff.” I am finding out that the older I get it is a great advantage as I can clearly see “the bigger picture” in most instances. At minimum, many others come to me with difficulties when they want a very fresh, different, or, we might even say, off-point, solution to their challenge.
Second, the more I learn, the more I realize how little I really know. This is a great advantage because knowing how little we know tends to keep us focused, hungry, and humble. When one realizes how small they are compared to the immensity of the universe they tend to become a little more centered. They tend to gain a healthy respect for… well… everything!

Short of earning a degree there are numerous ways in which one can “learn,” however, these multiple ways of learning fall mainly into two categories; learning from our own experience and/or learning from the experience of another.

We start out in life learning from our own experience. We must learn how to walk, what things taste like, how things feel physically as well as emotionally, etc. Many things we must experience for ourselves to learn. However, it is as if the Universe intends us to learn the things we must experience personally – once. If we insist on learning most things through our own experience, matriculating at this particular institution will become extremely costly in both seasons and substance. Life dictates that we pick and choose our teachers and classrooms carefully and with ever increasing sapience.

If we don’t learn from our own experience we, of all creatures, are certainly doomed. We are destined to repeat the same mistakes over and over without ever improving our situation. While this may be fun for others to watch, it is certainly devastating to experience. Eventually, one does “wake-up” or become “enlightened” as to how their thought patterns and behavior have hurt them. Once they realize the error of their ways, they are inevitably angry, discouraged, and, if not completely broken by the process, more than a little determined to correct things.

If we are wise and want to accelerate our learning and growth, we will insist that the bulk of our instruction come from another’s experience. This process will certainly demand some investment of time, attention, and treasure, however, it is almost always less costly than learning from our own experience. Learning from others can save us countless hours of effort, much pain and discouragement, and untold wealth.

Learning from others takes many forms. We can attain a formal education, often institutionalized, from universities, colleges, and trade schools. These are great ways to obtain knowledge. However, one must be vigilant that they are broadening their perspective and gaining knowledge and information to enhance their own decision-making rather than being indoctrinated in certain thought processes and opinions that seem to pervade these institutions.
We can also learn from training companies that offer seminars and classes. These organizations offer learning that is often industry specific and enhances ones trade or professional knowledge and skills through certification.

Another popular way to gain knowledge is through reading groups, clubs, and trade organizations. Though usually started by like-minded individuals or individuals with a common purpose or interest, these groups can be a source of valuable interaction and may lead to new insights as you discuss various topics if you are careful to include many individuals with unique viewpoints and opinions.

Usually, when we refuse to learn from another’s experience, it is the result of our flawed thinking that we are somehow different from, rather than similar to, another. Sometimes it takes a crisis of some type to jolt us into the new day when we realize that we are all humans, part of “humanity,” and that the notion of “individualness” is really just “personal style.”

Once we awaken to the fact that we are part of something much bigger, we become more open to the process and idea of learning from another’s experience. I personally believe that the only way we are able to accelerate our growth is by walking the paths others have blazed when available and appropriate. It makes no sense to me to blaze a trail just 2 or 3 feet to the left or right of an existing trail so we can revel in our individuality or personal “cleverness.”

How, exactly, do we learn from others? The best way, of course, is if you have a wonderful teacher, mentor, or a personal coach. Short of that, reading books, listening to audio programs, and attending seminars or classes are all critical components of any life-long educational process.
This is why I recommend the programs manufactured and sold by Nightingale Conant Corporation.

They will help you become better personally and professionally. They represent the best instruction in their industry. And, by best, I mean quality, content, and accessibility. If you don’t need industry specific training, I highly recommend that you sign up for Nightingale Conant’s Insiders Club. I’ve been a member for years and have benefited far more from the instruction and positive changes in my life than from the nominal fee required to join and participate. This may be the one investment you can make in your life that will bring you returns in excess of your investment many times over.

Lastly, whether our attaining to knowledge and experience includes learning from others or from our own experience, the critical component is, after the knowledge has been gained or the experience had, in order to truly gain wisdom we must be quiet and reflect and meditate upon the new information. If we do not take the time to reflect and meditate upon the new information and comprehend how it may or may not affect our understanding and our view of ourselves and all else, we really have not learned anything. …we have just wasted our time and treasure.

Russ Bethers, July 2010

All material COPYRIGHT© 2010, Russell R. Bethers, Offpoint, Inc., USA
You are free to link to this post, however, No part of this material in any form or portion may be used without the prior written permission of the author.