My Mind Speaks.... Then what?

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A few months ago I came across this piece written by Thabo "Coach T" Mogano and It stayed with me. I have since started challenging myself with the question everytime I try something new and different; Then what?
 

Then what?

It may sound like an incomplete sentence but for the purposes of my blog today I want to start with this exact question. Then What? 

This is a question I often ask myself after I have read a book, completed a course or simply learned something new. It forces me to engage with what I have just learned and comprehend what changes need to follow this "new” knowledge that I have acquired. 

I recently had a conversation with someone who told me their target for the year was to read over 50 books. I will admit at first I thought this was a noble pursuit but my reflective nature then decided to pose a question to this young man.  "How many books have you read in the past two years?" After a reflective pause he boldly said to me "roughly about ten." I then asked him, “with all he learned from the ten books he has read should his live still be where it is?” Immediately the enthusiasm in his eyes started to dwindle. I then continued to ask him how his life could change if instead of reading 50 new books, he went back to the 10 books he read and worked on implementing every single lesson he extracted from each book. 

Now do not get me wrong, I have no problem with his desire to read 50 books a year. My problem was with the lack of implementation, in his knowledge-gaining strategy. 

This interaction then reminded me of another conversation I recently had with one of my coaching clients who wanted to start waking up at 03:00 in the morning because they felt they needed extra hours in the day. and I had one question for them, "Are you truly maximising the current "awake time" that you have at your disposal?" Her answer was a resounding, "no." Which simply meant even if they had more awake time their lack of discipline and time management would creep into the new hours they had at their disposal. 

At face value, both their pursuits sounded noble but once you add the question - "then what" to their pursuits you get to fully understand why good intentions have never changed the world. Rather, it is the actions we immediately place behind the good intentions that can guarantee change. 

"Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do." - Bruce Lee

You see, Champions, you cannot just talk about it, you have to be about it!  I am a great advocate for personal development, not the over consumption of knowledge. Ask yourself this valuable question every time you learn something new or have a noble idea...Then what?

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