Licensed to learn
When I was in high school, I was always good at theoretical stuff like math and physics. But right after my final school exams, I started taking driving lessons. Of course it also requires theory, but most of learning to drive is practice. And as the saying goes, in theory there is no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there’s a big difference.
I failed my first driving exam. Boy was I nervous! This was not like doing my school exams. Now there was someone watching me the whole time! The second time, I was even more nervous, because I got the same intimidating examiner. I failed again.
The third time around I had more luck. I got a different examiner who I felt much more at ease with. I passed. I was so relieved. I finally got my driving license!
But looking back, passing the exam and getting my license was only the start, not the end of my driving education. As all drivers know, the real learning happens on the road.
Because knowing the rules and being able to control a motorized vehicle is only 20% of knowing how to drive. To become a good driver, we have to be comfortable on the road, in different traffic, on different roads, in different conditions. This can only be learned behind the wheel of a moving car. You can’t gain experience in a parked car.
It’s the same with swimming. We can only really become good at it if we are completely comfortable in the water and not afraid to drown. This can only be learned in the water, not from the shore.
Driver’s licenses and swimming diplomas are certificates that give us permission. They give us confidence to continue to learn on our own. In life and at work we don’t need a license to learn. So the ones we need permission from is ourself.
But sometimes a symbolic certificate can help. Soon I’ll be giving a workshop to my colleagues, to teach them about a certain topic I know a few things about. Nothing official. But maybe I should make it more official. Maybe after the training I should give my participants a certificate: “You are now licensed to learn.”