The Maturity Matrix

RL07-09-2015Maturity is a valuable asset that we all eventually pay for whether we use it or not. Maturity is applied wisdom that generally comes to us through mistakes we have made. As we get more maturity in our lives, we realize that we can actually learn from other people’s mistakes. We need not experience all the pain to receive the gain.

Before we have the benefit of maturity, we too often act without thinking, getting advice, or drawing upon our life experience. Maturity allows us to pause, ponder, and then react to the world around us. We can visualize immaturity as a thermometer. It simply acts upon the environment around it. The thermometer will go up and down based on the prevailing climate without making any impact or improvement. On the other hand, a thermostat registers the temperature much like a thermometer, but it reacts to the environment so that it can control the climate instead of having the climate control it.

The modern digital age has made it possible for us to draw on the wisdom and experience of people around the world. Here in the 21st century, we don’t need to go into any situation without learning from people who have been there before us; however, we can learn from others’ experiences without necessarily drawing the same conclusion as they did.

I’m reminded of the two 19th century shoe salesmen who were sent to remote islands in the South Pacific to sell shoes to the natives there. After several weeks traveling on a steamship, they both reached their island destination and began exploring the marketplace. After several weeks, one of the salesmen dejectedly wired a message back to the home office of the shoe manufacturer saying “Please forward return ticket for the ship back home as these natives do not wear shoes; therefore, there is no opportunity here.” The second shoe salesman experienced the same environment and conditions but drew a different conclusion. His wire read, “Please forward all available shoe inventory on the next ship. These natives do not have any shoes, and this is an unlimited opportunity here.”

Applied wisdom can create opportunities, not by looking at different things but by looking at things differently. How many times have we found ourselves learning about someone else’s breakthrough idea and said, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

The next time you’re confronted with a set of facts or someone else’s experience, just ask yourself, “What am I going to wish later that I had thought of right now?”

As you go through your day today, master maturity, but react in new ways.

Today’s the day!

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network, as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK  74145-9082; by email at Jim@JimStovall.com; on Twitter at www.twitter.com/stovallauthor; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor.

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