When you take a look at the leadership gurus and creativity experts, you’ll notice one major thing. None of them got there from reading the right books. It wasn’t a result of listening to the right teachers.
Leadership gurus and creativity experts get where they are because of struggle. They struggled in their industry and overcame the obstacles. The lessons they learned during their struggle led to knowledge they couldn’t have possible learned in a book. Then they share that knowledge with others.
Sure, gurus and experts read. They always want to learn more. But the richness of their expertise is from toiling and striving. Until we struggle with something, we never get the real knowledge that separates us from the others.
That’s why I don’t read all that much (at least, not what everyone else is reading). Call me stupid, but I’d much rather learn something through trial and error. I enjoy the struggle of figuring things out. I enjoy looking for unique ideas and methods.
In fact, I actually look at the way people currently do things, and try the exact opposite approach.
That isn’t to say I don’t listen to advice. I do seek out wisdom from time to time. But I don’t latch onto every leadership and creative principle I can find. I don’t count on others teaching me what I could learn through firsthand experience.
It might make for a more painful life, but it also makes for a far richer experience. The reason I have any authority when talking to folks from churches is because I struggled at a small church. I had to learn how to get by with less money, less people, and less support. We grew despite these obstacles. We tried revolutionary approaches because we couldn’t do what the gurus and experts were telling us. We learned through struggle.
Don’t be so quick to shy away from struggle. It’s through struggle a butterfly emerges from the cocoon to fly. It’s through struggle you’ll learn best and be able to give that knowledge to others.
