Mastering the Unexpected.

Today’s Marketing Cookie explores the curse of mastering something.

When life throws us a curveball, it’s a jolt that can knock us off our groove. These surprises, whether big or small, bad or good, can stir up a lot of emotions like shock, confusion, excitement, or even dread. Even when the good stuff comes along, your initial reaction may be one of resistance or anxiety, but wrapped inside most of these unanticipated situations is something useful to be gained: experience.

I’ve learned two interesting things about experience. And it may seem obvious to say, but the first thing is that there’s only one way to become experienced: by experiencing things. Even inexperienced people already know this. You have to go through the gauntlet enough times and make enough mistakes, stumble through the chaos, and adapt to unforeseen challenges to learn how to avoid all the pitfalls and be prepared for whatever surprises could potentially present themselves.

Once you’ve accumulated enough birthdays and have the scars and trophies to prove you’ve gone ten rounds in the ring and seen all the tricks, you can finally say you’re experienced. That’s when the second thing I’ve learned about experience comes in. When you know the ropes, can tie all the knots, and have mastered your craft, you’re probably not learning anymore.

At this point, you have two choices. You can be the master and begin teaching the next generation what you know, or you can get out there and start learning something new. Whether you’re learning how to be a new teacher or signing up as a student of something new, there will be many unexpected things to learn, just as today’s fortune says, “Surprises can bring valuable life lessons.”