When my father and I go to the “Gabba" (a sporting ground that host Australian Rules Football and cricket, located in the Brisbane inner city suburb of Woolloongabba), we often park about a kilometre away and we walk down Vulture St. There is quite a hill that way in the last couple of years (as Dad is getting older…well all of us are getting older to be fair), we've taken to returning by a Stanley St, what we have affectionately named the low road (much less of a hill). We often laugh at the end of the game saying we are going to take the low road and start singing the song. When I think about the low road, I think about the morally questionable way to do things, but it could also be taken as the easier way. In society we say that to take the high road is to do it the “right way” “the best way”, the more socially responsible way, I guess.
The concept increased its intrigue walking around Vang Veing in Laos last week. I was in a place that I did not know very well so when I first arrived in the town, I went the way that I knew, so I was clear how to get back to my hotel, I didn’t care if it was the quickest way or the flattest way I just followed the river as I was looking for a place to have lunch with a view. That became the way I knew so I continued to use it. After a period and when necessity struck (I was running late for yoga class), I decided to try a way I didn't know, but had anticipated would be shorter, thankfully it was, and I did not get lost. As I swam in the infinity pool after my yoga class (see above photo - it was spectacular), I contemplated how finding our way in unfamiliar territory is a metaphor for the learning process.
Often, when we do something for the first time, we take the high road, the proper road that others have decided is the best way to do it. Over time, we get used to the process, we work out what the pitfalls are, we believe we know what can trip us up, maybe we get lazy and get sick of climbing the hills we no longer think are necessary and then we try the low road. If everything works out down there we might even be able to find the short cut (my Sherpa loves a good short cut). That's the road that you can risk when you have a bit more time because you are not necessarily sure how it's going to work, and if it doesn't work out right you can double back and take the low road to make sure you get there.
This journey from the high road to the low road mirrors the stages of the Conscious Competence learning model. When we first attempt something new, we're in the stage of Unconscious Incompetence—we don't know what we don't know. This is like being in unfamiliar territory, and we naturally gravitate toward the high road, the established path that others have deemed the safest or most effective. As we continue, we enter the stage of Conscious Incompetence—we become aware of what we don’t know, recognizing the challenges and obstacles (the hills, if you will) along the way.
With time and practice, we reach the stage of Conscious Competence. We begin to understand the nuances, the potential shortcuts, and the paths that can save us time and energy. This is when we start experimenting with the low road, cautiously navigating and sometimes doubling back if needed.
Finally, as we master the skill, we arrive at Unconscious Competence. At this stage, taking the low road becomes second nature We don’t need to think about it anymore; we simply know the best way to reach our destination at this point we may consider extending our learning by experimenting with finding a short cut this is possible because and we've learned to trust our intuition and experience and believe there may be a short cut to help us be more efficient.
In the end, learning isn’t just about following the well-trodden path; it’s about discovering our own way, taking calculated risks, and sometimes finding a shortcut that others might not have seen. The key is to keep moving forward, whether on the high road or the low road, as long as we're learning and growing along the way.
Looking to find how you can take what you have learnt, apply it to a different situation and transition to a new career - I can help you with that.
Comentários