Heck, not even everyone knows everything. But you know what I mean.
I recently started an exchange of services with a couple recording studios in the city – they teach me stuff about music, and I help them with their website, or blog writing, or whatever.
It’s a good system, I recommend it.
It also highlights something I’ve told my dance students for years, which is to learn from multiple instructors, rather than just one.
In practice, students generally end up feeling guilty about leaving an instructor they’ve learned from for months – sometimes years. They feel that, because this instructor has steered them well so far, they are owed an ongoing patronage.
I’m sorry to say that many instructors agree.
The problem is that learning from the same person doesn’t just teach you what they are good at – you also pick up their biases, their blind spots, and anywhere their views are flawed. At worst, your ideals become basically a clone of the person you learn from.
In order to grow as a person, you need to ask questions. But in order to get a rounded view on the answers to facilitate that growth, you need multiple perspectives.
Easy test: Ask three people an open question, like: ‘Where do you think we’re going as a species?’ or, ‘Why are BMW drivers still allowed on the road?’
I guarantee you will get VERY different responses.
Over time and by asking enough people from different walks of life, you will start to recognize common threads in the answers. You’ll notice the answers that were thought out and more cogently explained, versus the ones that were rather slap-dash.
Exposure to the wealth of perspectives available today – combined with a generous dose of discernment – is how we get closer to the True answer to our question.
It can be even MORE helpful however, for questions that have more than one ‘true’ response – like how to be a better dancer, or music producer.
When I have a problem that needs solvin’, I have a rule of visiting at least three different sources before I make a decision. That way, anything that was missed by the first person is likely picked up by the second. And, just in case they both missed some REALLY tricky (or too-obvious-to-mention) detail, the third person has probably got it.
Going back to the recording studios: I’m glad I was accepted by two of them, instead of just one – because now I can ask them both the same questions, and get WAY more detailed answers!
As an instructor, I’ve had students who outgrew me. I had to tell them, sometimes with hugs and tears involved, that it was time for them to move on and learn from someone more experienced.
One of them went on to win multiple ballroom championship titles with her new instructor. She could never have done that if she’d stayed with me.
First teachers – like first romantic partners – are special, but sticking with the first one you meet is rarely a good idea. Get out there and ask the world your questions, and think carefully about the answers you get. Then try to apply them, and see what sticks. This is how we grow.
Credits:
‘Gray and Black Galaxy Wallpaper’ by Pixabay from Pexels
‘Group of Lining Men’ by Pixabay from Pexels
‘Neil deGrasse Tyson in June 2017 (cropped)’ by Norwegian University of Science and Technology – Norwegian University of Science and Technology Flickr account, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64735544
‘Tree With Reflection on Body of Water’ by Lukas Hartmann from Pexels