The other day I was talking to a friend and past business associate. He was telling me how incredibly frustrated he was right now due to a number of things happening in his world. Then he looked at me, smiled and shared how something I that told him years ago had made a big difference in his current outlook. I had told him that “feeling frustrated means that you are learning a lot.”
I have always believed that the best learning comes from experience, and that often the most frustrating experiences create the greatest opportunity for learning and growth. For that to happen, however, one has to endure and work ‘through’ the frustration to get to the other side. It amazes me how often a few more steps forward creates some breakthrough that brings new perspective and success. Of course, that observation is easier made with 20/20 hindsight.
Whether it’s learning a new technology, running a growing businesses, dealing with difficult people or handling life’s many surprises, there is always that point where we are ready to hand in the towel – give up – and run away. To me this is the critical point for growth and learning. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you keep beating your head against the wall. Perhaps the growth and learning is that you are banging against the wrong wall and it’s time to move in a different direction.
I share this as one who has given up at times and and who has pushed past the frustration at other times. Significant learning and progress was always the result of doing the latter. I still need to be reminded at times in order to regain this perspective and I am thankful for the friends, family and trusted colleagues who do that for me.