Some people, when they dig themselves in to a hole will wail and scream for someone to throw them a rope. And once they climb out they find themselves where they were just moments before. Others dig deeper, enjoy the scenery, and the ones who dig deep enough come out the other side enlightened.

While the quickest way out of the hole is to climb out as soon as someone offers a hand, often it’s not a life-or death situation. The only reason to escape an uncomfortable situation isn’t because it threatens something significant – it’s just the rush to avoid an unpleasant sensation.

Failing to invest the time to slow down and learn from this experience, however unpleasant it might be in the moment, increases the chance that you will repeat it.

A clever critic might chime in that people learn from their mistakes. I wholeheartedly agree that transformation is possible. Unfortunately possible and automatic is not the same. Despite semantic differences, inability to learn and unwillingness to learn produce the same outcomes. And those who don’t learn from their experiences are more inclined to repeat them.

I hope you take the time to learn.