When my life’s out of balance I risk sliding to one of the extremes of know nothing or know it all. However, my way out is to seek the balance provided by a precept-driven life.
The Precept Explained
What are elements of a balanced life?
How can I know if I’m tipping to one side or the other in regard to the fundamentals? Well …
First, I must balance knowing and doing. Thus, I don’t act without knowing the facts.
Conversely, I’m not frozen into inaction by fear. However, before acting I must recognize what’s most essential.
Second, I must balance my reasoning. As such, I’m able to think on my feet. But also, I’m able to reflect and think deeply.
As such, good sense is an outcome of clear thinking.
Third, I must balance how I perceive and respond to the world around me.
A Balanced Life
Therefore, I avoid the extremes of being a simple-minded know nothing who believes anything.
Or, on the other hand, I’m unteachable, a know-it-all!
In short, a balanced life, as presented in Proverbs, maintains harmony among reasoning, acting, and mindset.
How so? By teaching me to absorb and apply the precepts found there.
So, an abundance mindset reasons effectively, in order to behave wisely. Hence, wise behavior is what I get back for living a balanced life, as diagrammed below!
Know Nothing or Know It All
Now, the focus verses in Proverbs 1.22-23 are staged around three critical questions:
1). Do you really want to remain shallow-minded, lack discretion, and believe everything you hear?
2). Do you really want to remain a scornful know-it-all who is self-consumed?
3). How long will you stay foolishly overconfident, thus too arrogant to listen?
I believe the hinge point here is my willingness to be a learner by accepting correction.
Because, without being teachable there’s no personal or professional growth in me!
Moreover, to grow, I must become a learn-it-all leader. Else, I risk being a know nothing or know it all.
Leadership Insight
Who’s worked for the know-it-all boss? Or, dealt with the over-demanding, impossible-to-please customer?
We’ve all been there.
A Personal Example
For instance, my first job out of college in route sales brought me to a customer who could be reasonable one day and over-the-top the next. So, I never knew what to expect.
I suspect the unpredictability stemmed from marrying into a family that owned a restaurant. At one time it was extremely successful.
But, as it turned out, the business and the town were in decline.
Nevertheless, the owner’s self-perception was stuck in year’s prior when the business was more prosperous. His son was, at times, equally challenging.
This owner was a great example of not learning, thus not changing. There was no learning because of a fixed mindset that he was always right.
As such, the bottom line was unnecessary drama and extreme demands.
In this case, an out-of-balance outlook produced actions that were unreasonable.
Apply This Today!
Balance is critical if I’m to be an impactful leader.
Truly, I must choose balance.
Now, intentional learning produces experiential insights. Then, I reflect on and learn from what’s happening around me.
Unfortunately, the assumption with the three critical questions (above) is that I realize when I’m shallow. And, arrogant. Or, overconfident.
So, begin with self-awareness. Then, add clear reasoning. Finally, choose to behave wisely because of a wise character.
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