A woman I knew took personal, salsa dancing lessons from a friend of mine who was a popular, salsa teacher in town. While the woman enjoyed dancing, she had little dance training nor did she have experience in the rhythm or style of Latin dance.
However, that didn't stop her from telling my friend how she was teaching her wrong and what the steps were supposed to be. She wouldn't listen to anything other than what she wanted to hear, wouldn't see how the dance actually looked other than her impression of how she thought it was supposed to look, wouldn't talk about anything other than her interpretation of what the dance was.
After a couple of classes, she decided to stop the lessons.
She wasn't teachable, and she wouldn't allow herself to listen or learn beyond her preconceived ideas.
"Be teachable. That is the whole secret."
Vernon Howard
Several years ago, another woman was desperate to join one of my mastermind programs. Part of the group experience was 1:1 partnering sessions with other group members. Every couple of weeks, team members switched partners.
In the first week, this woman called each of five team members to share her story.
After politely listening, each member then redirected her attention to solutions. She wasn't interested.
Her intention was on others hearing her story and feeling validated.
Her focus was centered on her confusion, her circumstances and how what she wanted to do wasn't working, not on getting on track or creating actual results.
Individually, five people called to tell me how they really tried to help her, but she wasn't open. Not getting the type of attention she wanted, she left the group after the second week.
Being heard by others is a gift. Are you also open to receive?
"Listen, be teachable. Laugh at good stories and learn to tell them. For as long as you are green, you can grow."
Mother Teresa
Here are a few ideas to consider if you're teachable.
- Are you open to receive ideas and solutions or is your focus on having your story heard?
- Are you reliving familiar feelings, negative or positive ones, when you repeat your story?
- Are you holding onto familiar, unresolved negative feelings (or holding onto good ones because you're afraid/ believe those days are over), and is that your unconscious purpose?
- Are you looking for an audience to confirm you're a victim or to get attention?
- Are you trying to get validation from others... that maybe you didn't receive when you were a kid?
- Are you wanting to prove your worth by showing others you know things?
Not being teachable is being in a time warp of limitation.
Are you teachable?
Regardless of your answer, you always have the option to remain open to better possibilities.
Choose to be open to the guidance that life brings you moment by moment. Sounds too simple, but your intention will open you to learn and blossom.
As Mother Teresa said, "as long as you are green, you can grow." So go sprout your lovely seeds and grow abundantly.
Edited reprint from Soulgoals' Archives, April 29, 2011
Ready to receive something better for your life, but you don't know how to do it?
Contact me:
virginia@soulgoals.com
http://www.soulgoals.com
I help women to tune in to their true Selves, see clearly and live their personal and professional dreams.
Copyright © 2024 Soulgoals, All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment