ABL — Always Be Learning

You ever wonder why doctors call their work “practice”? Why do scientists have to go to conferences all the time? Is it possible to know all you need to know?

If you know all you need to know in a field, then you are in the wrong field. Nothing worth doing is so simple that you can know everything. You can’t know a lot, but you can’t fit everything in the limited space our brains contain. Albert Einstein was once asked “what is the speed of sound?” to which he replied, “[I do not] carry such information in my mind since it is readily available in books.” Now, this is arguably the smartest, easily one of the smartest men to have walked Earth and he admits that he doesn’t know everything.

Now don’t take this as an excuse not to pursue knowledge, that was obviously not Einstein’s motive for not knowing a relatively simple physics answer. You should be continually learning. You should pursue knowledge in work, in friendships, and in all facets of life.

Have you ever heard someone say something along the lines “I’ve forgotten more about (interject subject) than you’ll ever know.” Well, this comes true from time to time. You forget simple things you knew long ago when you pursued a subject. You should review and learn from the simple to the complex all the time. You will end up learning something new or relearning something old. Either way, you get better.

Learning is a great way to stay young. Creating new connections in your brain is a big factor in mental health. So, don’t quit learning as you get old to stay young and sharp. You know those ol’ timers that always have something quick and snarky to say, those are the same ones who read the paper every day and are eager to learn something new.

In closing, Always Be Learning. ABL!!!