Everyone Has Something to Teach
Life is full of lessons, and they don’t always come from mentors, books, or curated experiences. Often, the most valuable insights come from unexpected people and places. A key mindset shift is realizing that everyone and everything has something to teach you, if you’re willing to look for it.
No one is 100% right all the time, and no one is 100% wrong either. Even people whose beliefs you completely disagree with can offer valuable lessons, not necessarily in what to emulate, but in what to avoid. You don’t have to like someone to learn from them. You don’t even have to agree with them. But by keeping your mind open, you allow space to observe, reflect, and extract value. Too often, we dismiss people outright because of their ideas, tone, or affiliations. But doing so shuts down opportunities for growth. You can be learning how they think, what they value, and what motivates them. This insight can help you lead the conversation in a way that drives more meaningful discourse. At the very least, these interactions can teach patience, humility, or how to manage and exit conversations with grace.
The same goes for what we consume. Wisdom isn’t confined to academic journals or self-help bestsellers. You can find it in a line from a movie, a moment in a sitcom, a line of dialogue in a video game, or the arc of a fictional character. Stories, even fictional ones, are designed to provide takeaways, provoke thought, and reflect the beliefs of the people who wrote them. Don’t discount their power just because they’re packaged as entertainment. If it resonates with you, it matters.
And of course, we often think of “experience” as the ultimate teacher, but we tend to overemphasize the “right” experiences. Yes, positive, résumé-worthy experiences are important. But so are the “wrong” ones. A toxic job can teach you what kind of culture to avoid. A failed project can show you how to manage risk more effectively. A personal setback can clarify what truly matters. Every misstep, when processed constructively, can provide purpose.
In the end, learning is not a passive act, it’s an intentional practice that demands an open mind. It takes humility to admit you don’t know everything, and even more to learn from those you may disagree with. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to make snap judgments, dismiss ideas too quickly, and shut doors before they open. It takes immense discipline to stay curious and maintain a open perspective. But if you can manage it, then every person you meet, every piece of media you consume, and every experience you live through becomes a part of your education.
The world is your classroom. Be willing to learn from it.