Our primary task as humans: learning

Have you ever wondered about the makeup of a human life: What's in a Life? Asking what defines a human life led me to a more basic question: What is the primary task of being human. There is one task that supports all things we do as humans, and enables everything we wish to accomplish. There is one definitive answer: learning. No matter what you want to accomplish in life, learning is the primary task to achieve success.

The answer is the same for organizations and nations, as they are simply humans gathered together for some purpose. No matter what the purpose of your organization, your primary task is learning. Yes, you are asked to perform at some level and perhap produce something, but in order to do this well, you must continually learn, because everything changes constantly. As well, no matter what your constitution as a nation, your primary task is learning. A nation is a complex system of laws and regulations, sub systems and technologies, programs and projects, hierarchies, positions, and power, and many organizations. Learning is not an option. And that's just the inside. Let's consider its customer base.

What is the key to a sustainable, happy, and productive nation. I would argue that it is an educated society with people who are free and independent thinkers. How do you achieve this? I believe the answer is learning. Continual learning creates a cycle of success: development > growth > change > creativity > productivity. The cycle is not linear; learning occurs at all points and at all times. Learning also keeps our spirits up and our minds alive and engaged.

In Zen, there is this idea of beginner's mind, which comes from Shunryu Susuki, the founder of the San Francisco Zen Center and the author of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. In his book, Suzuki talks about this idea of beginner's mind. “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few” (Susuki, 1970, p21). Beginner's mind is the way of being open to all possibilities, which is to say, open to learning.

Beginner's mind is a way of being, moment to moment. It is something we can practice every day. Every moment of life is an opportunity for practice, which is to say, learning. “The practice of Zen is beginner’s mind, the innocence of first inquiry. The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all the possibilities” (Susuki, 1970, p.13).

If our mind is clear, it is always ready and open to learning. It is a practice that allows us to separate from what we think we know, to detach from the baggage of our past journeys, to let go of our stories about people and the world around us, to see people and all things anew, to look again and see who and what is there in front of us, in this moment.

No matter what we do in life as a profession, no matter what our calling may be, there is an underlying foundation that defines the path we take and determines our activities—how we spend our time. This foundation can best be described as our intention. When we are clear minded, a single intention drives everything we do. The practice of beginner's mind helps us to clear our mind from all distractions and see only what is there in the present moment. The practice of beginner's mind frees us to be open to learning in each moment of life.