What We Learn Can Create Disorder

1895-1986

"When we stop learning and merely act from the knowledge we have accumulated, disorder comes." -- Jiddu Krishnamurti

Since we never stop learning, we can choose to learn from the new or the old. We often draw from past experience to ascertain occurrences in the present. In no way is it wrong. At the same time, it has limits and we should not be restricted to using the past to understand the future. If we do, it is a sure way to repeat the past.

From the quote, the disorder that ensues is a result of doing

the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Out of frustration, we try to force a new outcome with knowledge that may have become obsolete. That is literally the definition of insanity.

Instead of depending solely on the knowledge you have acquired, visualize a future goal that would be a stretch from your past experiences. It should be one that requires you to learn new skills and competencies. Moreover, it would be powerful if it requires you to be someone you have never been in the past.

With that kind of commitment, you will need help. Seek out people and information that are outside of your normal network. Not only will you have to learn new information, you will also have to learn to apply it.

According to statistics, we retain 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we see and hear, 70% of what we say, and 90% of what we do. Thus, if we truly want to learn, we must do to effectively retain new information.

Approaching life in this manner can be an empowering, with continued growth and development. And once we have gained that new knowledge, we become support for others who are going through their own transformation.