Always learning, always teaching

A professor of mine used to often quote Bob Dylan:

“He not busy being born is busy dying”

Some are comfortable making the same thing the same way their entire career. not. But that approach is fragile, susceptible to unexpected events.

The documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a lesson that masters in their craft are always learning, always challenging their own assumptions, and always training the next generation. In Jiro’s case, at age 86 and beyond. Relentlessly.

If you want to grow, give away your knowledge and techniques. Teaching is a tried-and-true way to experience rebirth.

You should be continuously running from the pack of ravenous dogs while dropping a trail of fresh meat behind you.

To teach distill what you know. Develop the theory of what you learned by instinct and practice.

By teaching you will understand your craft better than you did before. By giving away your techniques you will empower peers and competitors. Force yourself to stay creative and continuously open new doors.