You may have read the title of today’s blog and said “Are you kidding me?” Let me explain. Knowledge is powerful. Knowledge will pave the way for you to live the life you were meant to live; to reach the potential that you know is lurking inside of you just begging to get out. Knowledge will help you live as the masterpiece God created you to be, continual learning and increase of knowledge in your area of passion is a must on your Life Palette. Unguarded a little knowledge can also be the greatest obstacle to your growth.

Stay Humble

I often tease my Board of Trustees that it’s too bad they didn’t hire me when I was 20 years old because I knew everything back then. The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:12: “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection!” (NLT) Here is the man who wrote most of the New Testament of the Bible and he had a clear understanding that he was still learning and growing. He was not a know it all. Continue to walk in humility as you gain knowledge lest you think you know it all and quit growing. Humility is a must on your Life Palette.

Stay Teachable

Former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden: “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”  How true. Just when you think you know it all you are about to begin to truly learn, the journey of knowledge will bring with it a humility that will open the door to your passion and potential. The more knowledge you have, the more you learn, the more you realize you have to learn. Stay teachable regardless of what you learn and you will not only have a door open to your passion and potential but you will expand your potential.

Leadership Commandment

As a leader with a vision you must lead the way in this. Truth be told, you will not survive let alone thrive as a leader if you do not walk in humility and stay teachable – continue to grow in knowledge. I have seen many leaders burn out, loose all respect, and tank their organization because they felt they had to be the “know it all” as the leader. Great leaders ask great questions. Great leaders are great, continuous, lifelong learners. Your organization will never grow if you are not growing in the knowledge of leadership and continuing to walk in humility knowing you have more to learn.

3 Categories Of Knowledge

There are 3 continual categories of knowledge that all of us are perpetually living in:

1. Things you know. This is the knowledge you must be careful with lest it keeps you from gaining more knowledge. You cannot plateau in the increase of knowledge and live the potential as the masterpiece God created you to be. Learn something new – TODAY and EVERYDAY.
2. Things you know you don’t know. This is knowledge you are aware exist but you may not need to know anything about it to live your potential. For instance I know Quantum Physics’ exist and is something I know nothing about. However what little I know of it I’m not working to learn quantum physics. I’m a speaker, author, artist, and musician who has given my life to live as the masterpiece God created me to be (live out my potential in the area of my gifting and passions) and to lead and help others (you, especially in the context of leadership) do the same thing. I am passionate about helping leaders!
3. Things you don’t know you don’t know. This is knowledge that you just are clueless exist. This knowledge will help you reach your potential exponentially if you keep the exploration and growth of this in your area of passion and potential. As you discover this knowledge the key is application. Assimilate what you learn, this may take time. The best way to get this knowledge is to get a mentor, someone who is further down the road in your area of passion and potential than you are. I personally have experienced quantum leaps in all of the areas of my life when having mentors. A great mentor will teach you the knowledge you don’t know you don’t know that you must know to grow and live life fully as the masterpiece God created you to be.

While this blogs headline is true it is not finished: Knowledge: The Greatest Obstacle To Growth – Perpetual Development Of Knowledge Is Necessary For Growth. I just thought that was a little long for a headline. Plus I hoped to get you to read this blog with the purpose of getting you to believe in yourself and your potential so that you will take another step forward today toward life as the masterpiece you know and sense you were created to be.

I would love to hear from you, just type your response below. Let me know how or what you are doing to continue to grow in knowledge and move toward your potential. Your techniques will help others reach their potential.