Really good teachers are those who can be good students.
They can lead because they allow themselves to be led.
They understand their role at any one time — and they play it.
Similarly, good students are not actually attached to ‘being taught’.
They are quite capable, and willing, to spend the necessary, countless hours on whatever skill they want to develop.
Deep practice is where real learning takes place.
If you are getting lessons for anything – paid or otherwise – but not practicing for substantial time by yourself, then you are wasting your coach/trainer/teacher’s time, as well as your own.
Time spent with someone who knows or can do what you want to do/know is primarily for guidance.
Re-direction.
A gentle nudge.
Encouragement — or sometimes even a kick up the backside.
Unfortunately, the attachment to ‘being taught’ is drummed into every child who is forced to spend hours, days, and years at school.
At school, self-directed learning is not only discouraged, it’s not even mentioned.
The idea that any person – especially a child – could learn something themselves is scoffed at by big institutions and their influencers.
But children (pre-school) are natural learners.
This is one reason why homeschooling is can be good.
Regardless, as adults, we have the freedom of choice to reclaim the joy & desire for self-directed learning.
It starts with a simple question:
What new thing are you keen on learning?