Two years back I worked weekends as a cartooning teacher at a local college. It was a fun job that I enjoyed profusely. I was also not at all qualified for the job (but we'll get to that in a bit). I was twenty-two and would be standing in front of a class that was largely older than me. I had planned for months that I was going to sit in the back and call the infamous "ten-minute rule", in which the class leaves when the teacher is tardy. Then with a flourish I would get up and pretend to start teaching. Only I wouldn't stop...

It was a fun ride. While there I coined the phrase "Be a forever learner, not a forever student.".

It means that reading and planning are wonderful helpful tools, but once placed in a real-life scenario you need to be willing to learn again.

Ironically, I taught the class as a learner. I was trying to ignore the convention. I was praying to spark anger. I begged that they apply their life to a page. And like most first experiments, it probably was a failure. While I was walking a tight-rope re-learning how to verbalize what had only been between my arm and my head, they had nothing on the line. They were in planning mode.

In my life I've had the experience of being around far too many who look to the skies for rain instead of listening to the trees. Experience dictates everything, knowledge is just the blueprint for experience. This is rule number number one in my book.

So next time you hear yourself or someone else say the phrases below keep this in mind, these are stalling techniques plain and simple.

- "I'd love to learn but..."
- "I'm reading a book about it..."
- "I have it on the to-do list..."
- "Once I complete the (blank) I'll..."

Throw away the book. Stop the 12-step course. Just sit down and dive into the pure terrifying thrill of the unknown.