Tag: learning

Day 4: the Apprentice Mindset

Work Copied: Pride and Prejudice Chapter 5

There’s always room for improvement.

I feel that deeply, having just started apprenticing at a startup. When you are young in a trade, you pull information from those around you constantly. You listen closely, seeking for nuggets in every conversation.

This apprentice mindset is like a greenhouse for professional growth. That’s why you see young people quickly rise from being relatively unskilled to carrying themselves confidently in the workplace.

I feel like many people lose this apprentice mindset somewhere in life. Man hits a point in his life where he feels he has reached the summit of his career or life. He forgets the sheer passion of his youth, the driving force behind his growth. He wipes away the memories of his clumsiness, and loses the curiosity he once had for the world.

I’m writing this because I don’t want to ever become that. No matter what happens in life, I don’t want to lose the apprentice mindset.

This is my commitment: to never lose curiosity for the things I don’t know; to always listen with the intense desire to gain what I can; to give myself wholeheartedly to the next adventure.

Photo by Peter Hershey on Unsplash

 

The Wisdom of Youth With Solomon Hanes: Season 1 Episode 6

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Solomon Hanes is a creative learner who has chosen not to take the traditional route of college for his education. In addition to an apprenticeship in Delaware, he hosts the Elder Tree Podcast. He runs a creative Facebook group called the Creative Condition.

Solomon is also building his brand as a photographer. His Instagram page documents his life artistically. Here’s a link to his website, where he features more of his photography and his writing:  http://solomonhanes.com/

Solomon believes the term “education” has been misused.

 

“If I had to choose never to use the word “education” again, I probably wouldn’t use it, because in today’s society it is so associated with the schooling system.”

However, learning is not limited to school. Solomon uses the example of our interview on the podcast as a way he is passively learning communication skills.

Once you realize the things you are learning passively, you can use this knowledge to analyze

One main facet of education, according to Solomon, is self-examination. Realizing how you learn helps you develop processes that help you learn more effectively.

“Learning about yourself and how you think is so valuable,” Solomon summarizes.

We cover Solomon’s story, from homeschool to high school to Praxis. He read finance and marketing books during class, and poured himself into the lawn care business he built at the same time.

He’s full of ideas for the future.

We also talk about the Praxis business partner experience.

(22:00)

This is the 6-month apprenticeship side of the program. Solomon gives a bird’s-eye view of what the work experience is like.

After the boot camp. Praxis places each participant with a business partner that best fits their needs and interests. The participants spend half a year in a paid apprenticeship position with their business partner. The coolest part? By the time you finish the apprenticeship, you pay off your Praxis tuition!

What words describe the apprenticeship experience?

  • Independent. “You have to count on you… you’re accountable for yourself.” -Solomon
  • Fast-paced. Participants are intentionally placed in roles that stretch them, making the experience one of the most adventuresome things they will ever do.
  • Fun. Solomon works for an arcade on the East coast. He is currently in charge of all their marketing.

Here’s an article on the Praxis blog that details what participants learn in the apprenticeship.

Solomon’s wisdom for other young people:

 

“Get out there and learn. Or, learn in the classroom… as long as you’re learning things that you deem valuable… Whether you think school is boring or not, think, ‘What will help me in the future the most?’ “

Let Me Fail

Here’s what I love most about being a teenager: it’s expected that you’ll make mistakes often. Many people give you room to grow.

However, the more open you are about your goals and dreams, the more pressure is put on you to get everything perfect.

Additionally, as you learn and succeed, people start to expect you to get everything right the first time. It’s an unspoken rule that when you master one thing, you have to master the next.

On one hand, this is extremely motivating to me. I love the pressure, and I strive to make progress every day, to reach my goals, and to succeed at what I put my mind to.

On the other hand, this makes me somewhat frustrated. It seems like a young adult can look at failure in a positive light all he wants, but it never changes other people’s opinions of his failure. They smile and wag their heads, saying “I knew it all along,” and forget about him.

As a young person who is excited about life, I plead for every teenager who is trying out new ideas:

Let me fail.

 

Don’t try to stop me because you think my dreams are too big. Don’t stand in my way because I might hurt myself. And if I make a mistake, urge me to fix it and become a better person because of my failure.

Failure is an integral part of the learning process. To the people surrounding the young, passionate learners among you: Stop modeling failure as bad. Recognize that experience is one of the best teachers anyone can learn under.

Let me fail.

 

Copywriting Exercise: Ft. Copyblogger

Praxis’ Module 3 week 4 is focused on Marketing Copy. The deliverable for the week is a video assessing the copy of any website.

Critiquing other’s work helps you develop methods to better your own. 

I put my own spin on this challenge. I took an amazing article by Copyblogger called 7 Ways to Write Damn Bad Copy. It had some amazing insights that clicked even with someone like me, who is new to copywriting. Continue reading Copywriting Exercise: Ft. Copyblogger

My Story: Season 1 Episode 1

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This episode is an intro to Educationeering.

In this episode, I share my education story. It’s different from most:

    • I never went to public school.
    • I attended a Mennonite School almost until the end of middle school.
    • Since then, I have been steadily growing toward a mindset of self-education.

Continue reading My Story: Season 1 Episode 1

Hidden Benefits of Daily Writing

 

They told me writing every day would benefit me. I could understand the discipline that would come. I knew there would begin to be a flow of ideas once I stuck the writing out for awhile.

Those were the benefits I knew would come before I even started. But there were so many unseen blessings of sitting down, every day, and putting my thoughts on my blog. Continue reading Hidden Benefits of Daily Writing

How A Sandwich Changed My Life

 

I always loved helping my dad in the kitchen. Maybe it was because those moments were always the times he was home.

Saturday mornings were my favorite. He would always make brunch for the whole family.As a young child, my favorite thing was to imitate Daddy and help him. It was his hands that guided mine as I flipped my first pancake. He taught me how to crack eggs into a bowl for him to scramble later. All the while he patiently listened to my never-ending chatter as I set the table for the feast he had made. Together, we experimented and planned. Together, we made every Saturday breakfast a memorable experience.

I remember watching him. One day he began putting together the most diverse concoction I had ever seen. I watched mustard, pickle juice, and cottage cheese go into the bowl of eggs. After adding a couple seasonings and whisking the mixture vigorously, Dad poured everything onto a hot griddle. I watched through the glass lid as the egg mixture rose. I toasted the bagels. Daddy made the bacon and the sausage on large pans in the oven. We put mayonnaise on the bagels together. Then Dad cut the egg mixture into squares.

I watched in awe: this was a new creation and I was involved. Carefully we layered eggs, bacon, and sausage on the bagels. After adding a slice of cheese, the sandwiches were ready. Proudly, I carried them to the table. It was the best breakfast we had ever eaten. Something about the egg concoction mixed with bagels and cheese felt like the best soul food we could wish for.

From then on, we begged every Saturday for “daddy’s sandwiches”. We had brunches and invited people over. Every time we went to the store, we bought bagels. It became our family tradition.

Fast forward a few years. The day was rainy and cold. But not as dark and dreary as my future. My daddy had passed away suddenly a couple nights before. It was Saturday morning again. And I knew there was one thing I had to do.

Slowly I got the bagels out. Crying, I mixed up the eggs. I knew how. I had done it a dozen times before. I put the pans of bacon and sausage in the oven, alone. And alone, I put together sandwiches for each of my siblings.

I sat down, but I couldn’t eat. Not today. These weren’t daddy’s sandwiches. I had made them without him. The breakfast had become a symbol of his protection. Now that he wasn’t here, how could I ever go on?

But then I looked around, and saw my little siblings. They were watching me. I had to go on. There was no option. “For daddy,” I whispered and took a deep breath.

That first bite held all the memories of a life that felt so far away. Right then, I was with my daddy again. His hand folded over mine again, teaching me how to cook. His voice encouraged me, and his eyes smiled down as once more, I ventured into a new path with his help. Right then I realized I could go on. It was then that I knew, whatever happened, I could live again. Through a sandwich, I found that the people you love never leave you.

It’s just up to you to see that.

Networking: my Learning Trend

It’s interesting to watch the trends of information that flow through my life. Sometimes it’s intentional: I’m learning a lot about Mark Twain because of working on a research project with my sister. Other times, the trends are entirely unintentional: all of a sudden a flood of knowledge on a certain subject comes from numerous sources.

I can’t explain the trends. Maybe it’s simply that when my interest is piqued, I start to notice new information that I wouldn’t have seen before. Maybe, subconsciously, I am searching out for the certain knowledge that attracts me. Maybe it’s just God’s divine hand guiding my learning process. Regardless of the cause, I love it. It’s exhilarating to take a step back and watch the process of learning become real in my life.

One of these trends has been the concept of tribe. When I read about tribe in the book The Last Safe Investment, I immediately connected with the idea. Tribe refers to the close group of individuals with whom you share much in common. Tribe is not just a friend group: it is a close circle of people who are committed to growing together.

This started the trend of networking information in my head. It awakened within me the passion to make each connection that I make as strong as possible. Instead of simply thinking of a friend as a friend, I choose to actively grow them and help them succeed. Being intentional with connections makes for strong, healthy friendships and partnerships.

Soon after reading the book I listened to a networking talk by Evan Le at a Praxis conference. Over the next several months, random people reached out to me because of things I wrote or people we both knew, and I realized anew how important it was to strengthen each connection, both business and personal.

This isn’t hard to do. I naturally relate to people, and I have always sought to bring out the best in everyone I am with. However, the difference lies in intentionality. I can’t just wait for people to reach out to me and expect to build a strong network. I have to actively seek to build relationships.

It’s this trend that has led me to pursue direct connection with everyone who chooses to join my podcast mailing list. And I am enjoying it to the full.

What learning trends have you seen in your life? Drop a comment or reach out to me!