So what should you learn when you're surprised by new experiences? I think as humans, we're all pretty bad at turning conscious learning into actual action. Studies have shown that our intentions are not necessarily good predictors of our actions. Anyone who has ever made a New Years' resolution and fallen short of her goals is aware of this fact.
So I recommend asking yourself two questions the next time you're surprised by success or failure:
- What have you learned about yourself? Think about what the unexpected result reveals about your own traits. Self-reflection is important and, I believe, underused.
- What new habits or practices will you implement as a result of what you have learned? Too often we learn something, but don't take action in response to what we have learned.