The Passion to Grow…Even More

A few months ago, in a blog titled, The Passion to Grow, I chronicled the explosion in a desire to expand my knowledge base as a by-product of taking – and embracing with intense gusto – an eight-week mindfulness course. I waxed poetic about my shift in reading and data mining away from the general and mundane and toward any specific topic that could enhance my well-being.

While I am elated to report that I remain on that personal development trajectory, I am even more excited to convey that my pursuit has led me to another enriching pathway: Formal online learning. American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist, the late Maya Angelou, eloquently offered “I have learned that I still have a lot to learn.” This penetrating message has resonated with me since reading the laureate’s powerful words years ago; frankly, I could not agree more. I never want to stop learning – especially with regard to well-being.

Hence, this venture into online college course learning. Having already checked the grad school block a couple of times I mulled over the rationale behind reentering the university realm. The esteemed poet and National treasure’s perspective noted above quickly and convincingly provided the answer to my contemplation: To learn!

So, thus motivated, I Googled online well-being courses and was fortunate enough to stumble upon “The Science of Well-being.” Not knowing what to expect from this maiden endeavor, I was pleasantly and, quite frankly, amazed by the sheer quality of the product. The instructor, Yale Professor of Psychology, Dr. Laurie Santos, crafted and delivered a 10-module Ivy League school-worthy class that was intellectually stimulating, provided science-based insights, and widened my scope of understanding on a broad menu of well-being topics and practices.

I found this experience so worthwhile and advantageous that I scoured the internet for other offerings upon completion. To date, I have completed 10 – this denary includes courses from the aforementioned Yale and others like the University of Michigan, University of California, Davis, Leiden University (Netherlands), Edinburgh University (Scotland), Rice University, and Stanford - and am currently plowing through my 11th, “Understanding the Brain: The Neurobiology of Everyday Life”, a University of Chicago presentation.

This has been an incredibly enriching experience. From a personal growth perspective – I think Dr. Carol Dweck would agree I possess a growth mindset – and as it pertains to my role as Trellis Life Management co-founder and CEO. Literally, I never want it to end.

I began this homily by quoting Maya Angelou’s stirring admission, “I have learned that I still have a lot to learn.” To this inspiring oracle, I submit as an underscore, the words of South African anti-apartheid activist and one-time president of that same country, the late Nelson Mandela, who convincingly proclaimed “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

At Trellis, we want to change the world – one community member at a time. The growth that is the beautiful and enlightening offspring of knowledge will facilitate this evolution. That is why I strive every day to learn and grow. Books, articles, and studies are knowledge multipliers.

- George