Easier said than done

Learn:
to gain knowledge or understanding of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience 


Learning has a process.
And it may be different for everyone.
But I'm starting to realize, for me, it's a very long process.


Leaning something is one thing,
but actually applying it is a whole separate shindig. 


Learning from experience/decisions
Step one:
We make a decision
Step two:
We decide whether the decision was good or bad
Step three:
If a good decision, we do it again
If a bad decision, we don't do it again


Or if you're me...

Step three:
If a good decision, I do it again
If a bad decision, I do it again


Learning from instruction:
Step one:
Someone tells us their opinion, or what they see as "truth"
Step two:
We decide whether we agree or not
Step three:
If we agree, we follow the instructions
If we don't agree, we don't follow the instructions


Or if you're me..


Step three:
If I agree, I don't follow the instructions
If I don't agree, I don't follow the instructions


Learning from study:
Step one: 
We read, hear, or see something new/refreshing
Step two:
We decide whether we agree or not
Step three:
If we agree, we apply it
If we don't agree, we don't apply it


Or if you're me...


Step three:
If I don't agree, I don't apply it
If I agree, I don't apply it


Get the idea? 


Learning is more than gaining knowledge or understanding.
It's doing. We can gain all the knowledge we want, but it doesn't mean anything unless we put it to use. 


One of my life's goals is to never stop learning. 


But I don't learn. I gain knowledge and understanding, quite easily, but fail to use it. I fail to apply what I learn from study, instruction and experience to my life. 
I make so many mistakes over and over and over, only to do it again. 
For some reason, I get stuck in step two. 


I don't understand why I get stuck, but I'm sick of it. I'm sick of making the same mistakes, and feeling like a failure once again.




So my new goal is to learn how to learn.