Being Open to Learning
When you replace the period with a question mark, everything changes.
A little while back, my sister-in-law told me about a conversation she had with my mom about this podcast.
My mom has always been one of my biggest supporters. So when I heard she had one small concern, I was curious.
Apparently she said:
“How is he going to think of enough things to talk about?”
And if I’m being honest… that thought has crossed my mind too.
If I’m going to do this five days a week, that’s roughly 260 thoughts a year. What if I run out? What if I’ve covered everything I know?
Then this thought came to me:
To say I have nothing more to teach is the same as saying I have nothing more to learn.
And that’s when I realized something powerful.
The moment we believe we’ve learned enough… we close the door to learning more.
The Barrier We Don’t See
There have been moments in my life when I walked into a meeting, a class, or a church lesson and thought:
“I’ve already heard this.”
“I don’t need this.”
“There’s nothing new here.”
And in those moments, I really didn’t learn anything.
But not because there wasn’t anything to learn.
It was because I had closed my mind and heart.
Closed-mindedness is one of the most dangerous habits we can develop — not because it makes us wrong, but because it makes us unreachable.
When your thoughts end with a period, learning stops.
When your thoughts end with a question mark, learning begins.
Instead of:
“I’ve heard this before.”
Try: “I wonder what I’m going to hear for the first time this time?”
Instead of:
“I don’t need this.”
Try: “I wonder what more I might need from this?”
That shift alone changes everything.
The Blockbuster Lesson
In the year 2000, a man named Reed Hastings approached the leadership of a company called Blockbuster.
He offered them the opportunity to buy 49% ownership in his small startup company.
They declined.
They didn’t feel they had anything more to learn about the movie rental business or their loyal customers.
That small startup was called Netflix.
Ten years later, Blockbuster declared bankruptcy.
Netflix is now worth billions.
Closed to learning. Closed to adapting. Closed to change.
History is filled with stories like that.
And while we may never run a billion-dollar company, the same principle applies to our personal lives.
When we decide there’s nothing more to learn, growth stops.
We Live in a Classroom
I’ve started doing something simple.
Whenever I see something that teaches a principle — in nature, in my kids, in a conversation, in a mistake — I write it down in my phone.
And something fascinating has happened.
The more I look for lessons, the more I see them.
It’s as if life opens up when we approach it like students instead of critics.
We live in a living, breathing classroom.
Want to understand how important light is to your soul? Look at how necessary it is for physical life.
Want to learn how to help children fly on their own? Watch what birds do when their young refuse to leave the nest.
Want to learn patience? Raise children.
Everything can teach us — if we’re willing to be taught.
The Power of Repetition
My daughters often ask me how to get better at something — basketball, drawing, acting.
My answer is always the same:
Repetition. Repetition. Repetition.
Experts debate how many times you need to hear or practice something before it truly sticks. But one number shows up often: seven.
Seven times.
Think about that.
If it takes repetition to truly internalize something, then there is likely more to learn even from books you’ve read, podcasts you’ve heard, and lessons you think you’ve mastered.
Repetition isn’t a sign you’ve arrived.
It’s proof you’re still becoming.
Learning From the Source
Faith plays a role in learning that we sometimes overlook.
We can learn from teachers, scientists, books, and experience.
But the greatest source of truth is God.
In Doctrine and Covenants 19:23, the Lord says:
“Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.”
And in Matthew 11:
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Albert Einstein once said:
“The most important decision we can make is whether we believe in a friendly or an unfriendly universe.”
If you want to know whether the universe is friendly… learn about the One who created it.
From what I’ve come to understand, He is deeply invested in your growth.
And He has not finished teaching you.
Anchoring Quote
“To say I have nothing more to teach is the same as saying I have nothing more to learn.”
As long as you are breathing, you are a student.
And that is not weakness.
It’s life.
Reflection
Where might you be closing the door to learning right now?
Is it:
A relationship?
A class?
A correction from someone who loves you?
A repeated spiritual principle you think you’ve already mastered?
What if instead of resisting it, you asked:
What can this teach me?
Not:
Why is this happening to me?
But:
What is this teaching me?
That shift alone can turn frustration into growth.
Today’s Daily Challenge
Go into one situation today — just one — with a question mark instead of a period.
A conversation.
A meeting.
A class.
A scripture study.
Even a mistake.
Look for the lesson.
Write it down.
And remember:
We can never stop learning… because life never stops teaching.
Thank you for learning with me today.
If this message resonated, share it with someone who might need the reminder that growth never ends — and neither does the opportunity to begin again.
More Daily Devotionals: joshdowns.com/daily-devotionals
Come Follow Me for Teens: joshdowns.com/come-follow-me-for-teens
