Lessons learned

This is perhaps a good topic for the beginning of a new year.

I think a lesson learned could be as "simple" as a golf lesson (keep your head down, bum out, reach back and follow through) or as complex as learning to stay out of "certain" arguments with your wife. All have serious consequences if you forget what you've learnt (2 stroke and silence penalties).

3 of us in the family took golf lessons last year and I think we'll be continuing with more this year. My son has been taking lessons for quite a few seasons and most would agree, it shows. It was the first time I had taken a golf lesson and I truly think it's going to have a positive impact on my game, however, it'll take a little time. I think I've gone from the typical beginner hook to the hopefully more easily cured, slice. The family have been loyal students of Gary Kent for quite a years now.

Lessons do not have to be of the formal kind, just think of anything where, from experience, you know what the right thing to do is. If it's important enough (usually defined by the cost of a mistake) then learn it. How you learn it ? Well that's another topic. One method a good friend of mine (SEH) used to do was re-write all his study notes when preparing for an exam. He said that he always remembered the material better if he wrote it down, rather than just reading it. Perhaps actually writing this blog is helping me learn some new things !

I truly believe that if you can get that lesson learned (or is that learnt ?) to become a habit then you have success. You don't have to really think about it anymore, it's a habit, it feels natural, it feels weird if you don't do it. Most people say that good habits take a lot of repetition, which makes sense to me and is definitely one proven way of learning anything. As you used to hear from parents, how many times does it take for you to "learn your lesson" ? I'm wondering if bad habits have a similar connection ?

Here's a few more that came quick to the front of the memory buffer:

• Call your parents
  
• Back up your computer(s)
• Keep you weight forward (skiing)
• Fake a throw and go to the disk (ultimate)
• Always choose the first thing that sounds appetizing on a menu (however, this doesn't usually work for other purchases like clothes, home electronics etc)
  
• Do your homework early (kids and techies preparing for a demo)
• Lock your car
• You really don't need that last beer

I hope this provides some food for thought (and it is your first choice on the menu) !