Start With a Win

CHAPTER 4Be a Sponge

“If you're not moving forward, you're losing ground.”

—Adam Contos

For years I always walked into classrooms and presentations and sat in the back of the room. Then one day I walked into a classroom and sat in the front.

When you walk into a presentation or class or another form of potential learning, do you head to the front of the room or the back? That's not a trick question.

Have you ever noticed the difference in those people around you when you sit in the back versus the front? Chances are those in the front of the room don't struggle as much to understand a concept, while those in the back often do. The bottom line is that when we take learning very seriously, we learn. When we don't, we struggle.

When I was growing up, I used to purposely sit in different parts of a classroom and explore the differences in people around me. It was a great idea and sounds good, but my execution was a bit flawed. If I wasn't interested in a class, my grades showed it. When I became interested in learning—a lifelong learner—I became very successful. I wanted to be the best that I could be in all aspects of my job—consulting, contracts, sales, marketing, executive leadership, and more.

No matter the situation or the circumstance, when we intentionally seek out learning and challenge ourselves, we become better at who we are and what we do, and we come away with a win. But soaking up knowledge is only half the equation.

Distilling it into something valuable for others ...