“You hear me, but you are not listening.” As the words came out of my mouth, I realized that I sounded like some version of my parents. My kids truly were not paying any attention to what I was saying. I received the teenage nods and maybe a grunt of acknowledgment, but I might as well have told them I was headed to Mars.
The scary thing is that I love my kids more than anything, and what I am trying to convey to them – most of the time – is the kind of counsel that will help them be successful. And with that in mind, you’d think they would want that insight and be hungry for more.
Alas, that’s not the case. Unfortunately, many of us fall prey to similar conditions. We tend to focus on what satisfies us in the moment and rarely seek the wisdom that comes from experiences. The magnetic pull of YouTube videos or Netflix originals is simply too strong. In fact, we live half of our lives with our heads down.
In business, the same magnetic forces exist. The pull of what we know and staying in our comfort zone overpower any notion of the vulnerability that comes from seeking new experiences. In turn, we try to keep it safe and just hope that nothing changes too dramatically, or that we don’t get in the way.
Safety simply doesn’t exist sitting on the couch or in your cubicle. On the contrary, safety exists in venturing out and seeking wisdom. Sensible instruction – much like a father would give to a child – is a gift that enriches our hearts and minds.
Seeking wisdom is a habit of the truly successful. In other words, people who are curious and willing to seek the counsel and insight of others are simultaneously filling their hearts and minds. They endear themselves to others, by inoffensively uncovering wisdom. In addition, their innate sense of curiosity and drive to learn results in expanding their minds and expanding relationships.
While wisdom is available to many, it is only found by a few. Staying in our routines may seem comfortable, but we must never do the easy wrong instead of the harder right. To that end, the harder right in the current landscape is to seek wisdom. It waits to be gathered and is a gift for the diligent.
As the saying goes, “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.” So, we must endeavor to ask questions and expand our understanding of the marketplace. We must seek the counsel of wiser people and use it to find a better version of ourselves each and every day.
The publishing process is essentially the process of seeking wisdom. By connecting with others, understanding grows and the hunger for more wisdom results. We have seen the lives of our clients enriched through this process and we invite you to seek the wisdom for yourselves.
Warmest regards,
Mark
Mark Potter
CEO, Conduit, Inc.
Mark Potter is the CEO of Conduit Inc, a content marketing organization, which produces a variety of publications and community building programs including CANVAS Magazine. In addition, Mark is the author of the book, Egrets, Hockey Sticks, & Roller Skates and sits on the Electronic Document Scholarship Board.