"If you are always at the head of the class, then you're in the wrong class."
John Maxwell
I am a sucker for old 1980's references, so the phrase "head of the class" first reached back in the recesses of my mind and transported me to the old 80's sit-com of the same name. Wow, can't tell you how long it's been since I have thought of this show! In case you weren't even born in the 80's or had better things to do, the premise of the show was that Arvid, and the rest of his incredibly intelligent classmates who weren't being challenged in typical high school classes were put in a new class. I don't believe they were asked or even knew each other before hand, so all of this produced the comical antics and satisfying outcome of the show.
John Maxwell's statement, "if you are always at the head of the class, then you're in the wrong class" is a message to all of us who have become comfortable in our current "class", and really need to be challenged. John continues by stating in his book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth that "the best place to learn is always where others are ahead of you."
Now, not everyone needs to leave their job like I did to accomplish this, but instead it may be as simple as a new challenge outside of your job, taking on a new project at work, or volunteering at a new service opportunity. Any where and any place where we are uncomfortable, where we don't know how to do everything. What? You mean to choose to be uncomfortable?! That's exactly what I am saying. It is in this new "class" that we will grow.
Ask yourself, am I anywhere where others are ahead of me?
To learn and grow we need to put ourselves in places where others are ahead of us.
Whew!
Thanks Arvid, the truth does hurt,
Troy "I regularly don't know what I am doing" Vande Lune