Step 2 (a or b) is true folly. I suppose I should write more clearly, but I totally agree that listening is the best thing ever. It can make learning a lot easier, but I still think jumping into the deep end (figuratively , not literally) and struggling will ultimately make you more receptive and open to insights when asking for advice later on.

Does that make sense?

But yes, in general, listening is always a good idea. I need to get better at it.

I’m typically not one to stir up an online debate, however step 2b seems contradictory to the remainder of the essay. I can understand for the first go-around how not listening to someone is an excellent part of learning to do something the hard way. But, once you get to step three and rise above your frustrations, it seems to me that you’d need to open your ear canals a bit in order to grow from others’ experiences and knowledge.

I pride myself on being an excellent listener – though, this may be largely due to my severe distaste for my own voice and the vibrations I feel from my vocal chords so I don’t care to speak much. I try to take something away from every conversation I have with a specialist / hobbyist / warmonger / generally interesting fellow or madam. Because of my ability to ask pertinent questions and actually concentrate on the responses, I’m now proud to say I know that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear and that the moon is, in fact, not the back of the sun.

While I’m in the audience of a trusted teacher, listening has never led me astray. I believe Jed is one of those teachers. I feel better equipped to go out into the world to continue my never-ending search for Awesomeness thanks to what I’ve just read.