I LEARNED THE HARD WAY, AND REALLY – THE HARD WAY IS THE ONLY WAY WE LEARN. Rob Lowe says this in one of his memoirs. I listened to both of them recently as audiobooks, and I think this was from Stories I Only Tell My Friends.
To be fair, I’m paraphrasing a little because I didn’t note down the chapter and time-stamp where he said it, so it’s likely not verbatim. Thankfully I’ve since noticed the ‘bookmark’ option on Audible – I guess I learned that the hard way 😉 .
But the essence of his comment stood out to me because it aligns with what I’ve also found – and I love that he shares the same view.
I often reflect on how our greatest learning (or at least my own) happens when an experience is most impactful – which is just a fancier way of saying – when we learn the hard way.
If we get through something easily, the learning might not stick with us for as long. We might take the experience for granted and find it hardly noticeable or notable, and not really take much from it.
A more challenging experience is apt to stay with us, as it likely offers us a bigger ‘jolt’ – and therefore the experience sparks a deeper level of learning.
Of course, ‘the hard way’ is a relative term.
What I have found to be the ‘learning the hard way’ situations in my life might pale in comparison to what you or someone else has experienced.
Another person might be in awe of what either of us went through.
It’s just how things have unfolded, and the unique lens through which we each view the world has us defining what is painful or challenging for ourselves – which will most certainly differ a little from our neighbour.
What is gravely impactful for one might be a piece of cake to another.
Some of us will test the limits in certain areas, while others of us might heed the cautions and advice ingrained in us by others and will always give a wide berth to anything even remotely related to the troubles we are desperate to avoid.
All in all, I wish you a day of trusting that even in the challenging experiences that befall you, much is being revealed and incorporated into an even stronger foundation on which you can stand to face the next hurdle. ❤
(Photo by Julian Paolo Dayag, pexels(dot)com)