There are many people out there, leaders and professionals alike who have a fixed mindset. They think they’ve achieved their position and they’ve reached a level of complacency in their development. They’ve lost their thirst for knowledge. They’ve stopped being curious and instead become “know-it-alls” with antiquated perspectives.

The very best leaders we’ve studied do things differently. They’re the first to admit they don’t have all the answers. Their quest for knowledge never ends. But to take it a step further, they’re constantly applying their new knowledge.

Words mean nothing unless they are put to use because power is not in the knowledge, but rather, the application of knowledge. This became a reality when a mentor shared an important lesson: 

Knowledge is Information

Understanding is Comprehension 

Wisdom is Application

Information is more readily available to more people than at any time in history. That presentation of information is accompanied by the opportunity to comprehend it. Sometimes we can understand the information on our own, other times we might need a teacher, instructor or expert to help us. 

While understanding is an important step, the true test is the ability to apply.  Wisdom and application are supreme as there is so much one could understand, but never apply. A dentist who smokes cigarettes or a music student who can read music but cannot play an instrument are both prime examples of comprehending but not applying.

What you should be striving for is gaining a level of wisdom that creates ease of application. I understand this is simply written and difficult to execute.

The Growth 20
If you’re interested in remaining a student of your craft, you can practice what we call the Growth 20. Take 20 minutes a day to focus on learning and applying something new. How you spend those 20 minutes is completely up to you – you can read, watch YouTube, listen to an audiobook, attend an industry event, etc. Here’s an idea: 20 minutes is probably less time than it takes for you to commute into the office. Maximize your time by pulling up your favorite podcast and start learning!

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