088 Try not to learn very much
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by trying to change everything at once—and ended up changing nothing?
What if real growth isn’t about learning more, but about learning less and actually using it?
Could one small, “mustard seed” habit make more difference in your life than all the books, classes, and seminars combined?
Why do small, consistent steps often lead to lasting change while big bursts of motivation fade so quickly?
The first rule of this podcast is — Try not to learn very much.
I enjoy reading, listening, attending seminars, lectures, and other events when I
know I won’t have to take a test. I refer to this rule often: Try not to learn very much.
The second part of the rule: Look for a "mustard seed” that’ll make a difference.
I’ve found that principle helpful in many areas of my life. I bought my first computer in March 1985. I’d never had a computer class. I’d never done any work on a computer.
For $ 2,500, I bought a computer with a 20 MB hard drive, a monitor, and a dot-matrix printer. The challenge of learning to use that new tool was overwhelming!
The word processing program came with a tutorial, which was excellent. I went through the training a couple of times and wrote three bulletin articles. I went back to check’em and couldn't find’em. I called a friend who had more experience and told him my problem. He asked me what I named my articles. I didn't have any idea what he’s talking about. He told me I had to name and save’em to find’em.
That day, I developed the try not to learn very much principle. My goal was to learn one thing each day about my new computer and how to use it. I often went to the secretary and said, "I've learned something new today. I'm going home. I don't wanna get confused.”
26 years later, I bought my first Apple computer. It was an entirely different operating system with different rules. I set up my iMac desk computer. To the right of it I had a PC laptop that I knew how to use. I could get my work done with it. Each day, I tried to learn one new thing about my Apple computer. I did my work on my PC. I went to the Apple Store to participate in various workshops about the Apple system. In a short time, I’s able to use my new computer well. I didn't know everything about it and still don't. I'm still learning. But I try not to learn very much until I put what I already know into a habit that is easy and natural.
I practiced this principle before I’d named it when I started running. I read in the book, Aerobics, by Major Cooper that I needed to run 15 miles a week to be healthy. I started by walking a quarter of a mile each day, Monday through Friday. The next week, I walked a half a mile each day Monday through Friday. The next week, 3/4 of a mile, and the next week a mile.
The following week, I walked 3/4 of a mile and jogged 1/4 of a mile each day.
The next week: walk a quarter of a mile, jog a quarter of a mile, walk a quarter of a mile, and finish with jogging a quarter of a mile.
The following week: jog a quarter of a mile, walk a quarter of a mile, and jog the final 1/2 mile.
The next week: jog a mile each day, Monday through Friday.
The following weeks: add a mile each week, 2 miles on Monday, a mile each day Tuesday through Friday.
That process continued until I was running 15 miles each week. The way I chose to do it was: 5 miles on Monday, 4 on Tuesday, 3 on Wednesday, 2 on Thursday, and 1 on Friday. It got easier every day!!!
When I decided to ride a bicycle from the bridge on the Natchez Trace near Franklin, Tennessee, to the Alabama state line, I started with short distances. I gradually increased the mileage until I completed the 100-mile trip along with other members of the Berry’s Chapel Church of Christ. We did that eight times. It started with a little and ended with a lot! I discussed this in episode 26, "Investing in Exercise 1.”
When I decided to start running without shoes in March 2010, I used the same principle. If you’re interested, you can listen to episode 27, "Investing in Exercise 2.”
May 1-7 of 2025, I participated in the Living Centered Program at the Onsite center in San Diego, California. I’s excited and thrilled when, on our last day, they told us not to learn very much. I’ll put a link in the show notes about Onsite and their services.
Well, they didn't say it exactly that way. We’d been there for a week. We’d learned many things. They suggested not applying everything we learned at once. They suggested making a 2° shift. Here’s their suggestion on page 59 of the book they gave us.
While we would love to see big, sweeping changes in ourselves or our surroundings, the fact is that most of the time, lasting change is gradual and requires consistency.
The good news is that we don't have to change what we want. We just have to embrace a realistic timeline.
The Two Degree Shift is a reminder that small but consistent changes compound into significant changes over time. The temptation is to do everything and to do it now. But instead of doing everything – which which inevitably leads to burn out – do something. Do literally anything that resembles the future you're hoping for.
Then keep showing up.
