PREVIOUS: Character – Knowledge #1

◉ LOVE of LEARNING
“Learning is not attained by chance. It must be sought with ardor and attended with diligence” ∼ Abigail Adams.
It’s the main foundation for achieving goals which are important to us: we need to be internally motivated, persist in spite of challenges & have a growth mindset. Love of Learning is related to Curiosity, but goes beyond it – as the desire to systematically add to what we know, & taking joy in the intrinsic value of the process. It includes the effort to master new skills, topics & bodies of knowledge, whether on one’s own or formally.

It’s wanting to make sense of things, finding out how things work, gaining competence & control over self & the environment. It’s being open, perceptive & experimental.
EXP: • being excited by new ways of understanding • not afraid to admit ignorance • open to all types of information • wanting to know how the world works • willing to go the extra mile to gather all the facts possible

◉ OPEN-MINDEDNESS
It’s being able to listen attentively to other points of view, in order to understand & respect them – without necessarily agreeing.  It includes the ability to hold 2 contradictory thoughts at the same time (ambiguity), while others are taking sides. When presented with a new or radical idea, consider it a possibility instead of looking for points to disagree with or immediately rejecting it.

When appropriate, embrace ideas that can help self-growth & raise self-esteem, which decreases the need to always be right, & also helps to neutralize the desire for power. By welcoming the ideas of others (listening without necessarily agreeing), we increase their confidence.
EXP:
• accept the goodwill of others (not being cynical) • be able to see all sides of an issue  • listen without pre-judgement  • willing to follow where true evidence leads

◉ PERSPECTIVE
The ability to understand how things are inter-related or can be compared – how parts of a topic or situation relate to each other & to the whole. Seeing things from different points of view or re-framing a problem, with or without effort.  It helps to judge distances (like what it takes to move from despair to hope), which also makes it possible to hold comparisons that help manage emotional responses, allowing for   optimism.

It’s best NOT to viewing a situation or a person using the lens of our past. Proper perspective provides an understanding of what’s happening in the moment, seeing clearly the answer in any situation & the correct next step toward our vision of success. ( re. elephant Parable)
EXP:
• bring our attention completely into the moment  • don’t get caught up in details (forest vs trees) • keep the important things in mind  • step back from a difficult situation to see the bigger picture • step back and remove oneself from a problem • take the long view

◉ RESOURCEFULNESS
The ability to quickly, often cleverly, find ways to overcome difficulties & problems, to make things happen when the chips are down & the situation looks bleak.  A unique use of resources to achieve our goals – people, info, time, money, physical environment – to their fullest potential

Never focus on limitations or obstacles. Live in the now, with an eye on the future.  Resourcefulness is different from Creativity : it’s needed when one is already facing a difficult situation that must be resolved – now – while Creativity allows for time to ponder, dream & process.
While we can not anticipate many things, the more we’re prepare ahead of time, the more resources we’ll have to draw on when faced with a problem.
EXP:
• be able to out-think an opponent   • find practical uses for things others would overlook or discard   • make wise use of our energy, mind, talents & time   • see value in a wide variety of objects, ideas, & people

NEXT: Character – Social IQ