What You Don't Know Is The Biggest Limiter To Your Success

The person who coined the phrase, Knowledge Is Power would have to rewrite this statement for the 21st century to include some concepts that are now critical to success NOW.

We are living in a time when change is happening so fast that it's hard to keep up. The idea of learning, unlearning, and relearning isn't just a cute phrase anymore. Look around, the people that are being rewarded the most by the market are those who have taken this concept as words to live by.

Are you a rapid learner?

Most of us don't like to learn. We open a book and it's more effective than the most powerful sedative, we're in dreamland before we know it.

When I heard the following statements I got it:

Warren Buffet reads for six hours a day.

Success leaves clues!

Mr Buffet has made his fortune by using his mind. When they said it was the information age and the knowledge economy, he took that literally.

Oprah Winfrey says, "when you know better you do better." This is for every aspect of life but even more so in business. We lose out because we don't know what we don't know. Our human mind can only draw from past experiences, and current knowledge to solve problems.

The #1 role of an entrepreneur is to solve problems

Here's the problem: We only have a limited amount of past experiences that are relevant to a situation. And in some cases, we have ZERO relevant experiences. (Hello 🤚🏾 1st time entrepreneur!) Therefore we have to over-index in gaining more current knowledge to solve bigger problems.

THINK: Somebody out there has been through this already and written about it. I need to borrow their experience and apply it to my situation.

SAY NO to excuses❌. I'm just as guilty as most in thinking I don't have enough time to read. That translates to, I don't have enough time to make progress. Yikes!!

Unlearn things that are no longer relevant despite the sunken costs.

The way we have always done things is no longer the most efficient or effective way. It doesn't matter how much money we paid or how much time we spent acquiring that information or skill. We're wasting time doing things with redundant processes just because they're comfortable to do. We can make ourselves redundant this way! I know this is a tough pill to swallow (I'm swallowing it too). Maybe it's time to put that degree in the distant past and start to acquire relevant skills in your industry.

As an entrepreneur in that space, what do you need to know like the back of your hand?

Knowledge is not power. Applying the right knowledge is power. Watch and understand why and how things are being done differently. If we are able to do that we will be masters in our chosen areas of expertise.

Read, think, question, test, and apply. Take the time to understand, then take action with precision. Myron Golden says amateurs spend more time taking action than preparing. Whereas, professionals spend more time preparing than taking action. Maybe that's why Warren Buffet spends more time reading than taking action.

Give me 6 hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. ~ Abraham Lincoln

Proverbs 19: 2 reads, "Ignorant zeal is worthless, haste makes waste."

Before we make our move, let's prepare. Preparation will make us skilful and the Bible is clear about the fate of a skilful man or woman.

Proverbs 22: 29 reads, "Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank."

Take heart in this. As entrepreneurs, we often want to rush to success. The pressure to get to the big money can be so overwhelming that we ignore the truth to our own detriment. Don't lose your peace. Enjoy all the days of this life while getting real skilful.

Act wisely.

Be blessed to be a blessing.