Expand Your Mind: Choice Learning
by Miki Saxon
Whether we choose to or not, we learn from the day we are born to the day we die. Sometimes our learning is conscious and intentional, but not always. Sometimes it makes us better people, sometimes not.
I have two stories for you today that clearly illustrate my premise.
Let’s start with the unconscious/unintentional (so we can end on a happier note).
For years before the global meltdown the media shared stories about the opulent lifestyle led by the wealthy and ultra wealthy. And the last couple of years the stories have revolved around how, instead of shopping until you drop, to shop so no one knows.
Two professors, HBS’ Roy Y.J. Chua and Xi Zou, an assistant professor at London Business School wondered if the people who lived this life style are different from the rest of us. Specifically, they asked,
“Does the availability of luxury goods “prime” individuals to be less concerned about or considerate toward others?”
Surprise, surprise; the answer is ‘yes’.
Next is a look at how intentional learning can not only reverse your life, but take you to rarified heights—as it did Shon R. Hopwood.
Hopwood was a mediocre bank robber—five banks over two years yielded only $200K— who spent a decade in prison. Now, prison is boring and a lot of felons spend their time in the library, specifically the law library, and Hopwood was one of them, but unlike most of them.
Mr. Hopwood spent much of that time in the prison law library, and it turned out he was better at understanding the law than breaking it. He transformed himself into something rare at the top levels of the American bar, and unheard of behind bars: an accomplished Supreme Court practitioner.
As you can see, unintentional learning can make you a jerk, whereas intentional learning can change your status from jerk to highly respected.
Image credit: pedroCarvalho on flickr
