That’s right. Act like a 5th-grader. That’s all I’m trying to do through this blog. This quote by Ryan Levesque in his book, Choose, is the reason.
To a 4th-grader, the 5th grader is a genius.
These words give me confidence. They keep me going when I struggle to believe in myself. Let me explain. With small words.
I’m a 5th-grader
I don’t consider myself to be an expert on the things I write about in this blog. In fact, many of you are far more knowledgeable on the topic of Connecting, Mobilizing and inspiring others to do meaningful work.
I’ve seen many of you in action. You’re better at it than I am.
Why am I writing this blog then?
It’s simple. There are 4th-graders out there. Lots of them. Kindergarten through 3rd-graders too. People who know less about something than I do.
And, I’m a 5th-grader. To someone, somewhere, I’m an expert. Some person can learn from what I have to say. All I have to do is act like a 5th-grader.
That’s humbling.
I’m a 4th-grader too
Before I get too big for my 5th-grade britches (mine were corduroy Husky’s as I recall – stylin’ at the grade school), I need to remind myself that I’m a 4th-grader in most areas. Probably more like a 1st-grader really.
Ryan Levesque also wrote,
“An expert can be nothing more than a learner teaching other learners.”
Regardless of my “grade level”, I’m a learner. A learner with the desire to teach other learners. Based on this definition, that makes me an expert.
Therefore, I blog. I write from my experience. To others who want to go where I’ve been. To those who have been where I want to go.
I write to help others and I write to learn.
What grade are you in?
If you’ve read this far, you may be trying to figure out why I included this picture. It’s a quick shot I took of several of the books I’m using as I write my posts.
This photo may help you consider what grade you’re in.
Think about the impression you had when you saw that picture. Your unique experience was based on your “grade level”.
Perhaps something like this went through your mind.
- “If Greg’s a 5th-grader using these books, I must be in grad school. These are so basic.”
- “These are way over my head. Greg’s so advanced.”
- “Hey! I wrote that book.” (That’s a fact for a couple of you!)
- “Banish Boring Words! Really? Greg uses a kids’ book like that?” (I do by the way. It’s a great tool.)
- “Those books look interesting. Some familiar. Some new. I wonder what I can learn, and help others learn, as I read and comment in this blog”
I’m fine with all those but the last is my favorite.
We’re all in different grade levels depending on the subject. All learners. All geniuses.
I encourage you to embrace both perspectives. Go learn. Go teach.
The world needs 5th-graders. And 4th-graders too.
Let’s do something great.
Greg
Discussion Questions
- Pick one area in which you are a 5th-grader. How might you share your expertise with the 4th-graders in your life? Who are they? How can you reach them?
- Who are the 5th-graders in your world? How might you encourage them and boost their confidence to share more of what they know today?
I’m interested to know how you put this into practice in real life. Please share your experiences in the comments section so we can learn together.
Good blog, Greg! I think all to often we put ourselves in the position of a 4th grader because we are afraid of putting ourselves out there with original thoughts or ideas. In the world of social media, everyone is a critic and an expert. We all need to be as confident as a 5th grader and have healthy dialog about our ideas. Learning other perspectives is how we grow!
I agree, Chris. I know that I let the fear of criticism keep me from sharing my ideas at times. Healthy disagreements and debate are important to test our ideas and see if they are sound. The challenge for me is that discussion about my thoughts is often hard to hear. It’s much more pleasant to just have someone just tell me my idea is amazing without giving it any thought. But, as you said, if I want to grow, I need to embrace the discomfort and learn from others as they share their honest feedback on what I have to say, especially if it’s different than mine. Thanks for your input. I appreciate your perspective.