The more you know, the more you can be

“Apropos” is a word that, as a preposition, means something being said has relevance to the current subject.  That is, it’s in reference to.

For example, apropos this piece, there’s more information needed for it to make sense.

To me, apropos is a new word.  Before today, I’d never heard it.  Naturally, I’d also never said it, though it sure is a beautiful word to say.

Not only did I learn the word and it’s meaning, it came with a double helping of learning soup.

That’s because when adding the words “of nothing” to apropos, it turns the phrase around 180 degrees into an equally beautiful adverb.

So, “apropos of nothing…” literally means something unplanned happens.  

Unexpected.  Arbitrary. A random inclusion.  No relevance to the current stream of thought or conversation.

Flamingos and Condors are amazing birds, don’t you think?

Writing that was apropos of nothing, because it’s unrelated to what preceded it.  Saying or writing it in a sentence would be something like “apropos of nothing, he made the statement that Flamingos and Condors are amazing birds”.

I’m someone who finds beauty in words and phrases, especially ones that condense several words into few.  So today, in which I learned not only the word “apropos”, though also its bedfellow phrase “apropos of nothing”, was a good one.

If you ask me, all knowledge is fantastic.  Knowing things is, in my opinion, uplifting.  Not knowing things simply means they’re yet to come across.  As much as can be crammed in is valuable and there’s a scientific fact that lends force to this opinion.

If you don’t already know, neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to change over time, ergo develop, in response to different stimuli, actions, etc.

Myelin is a white matter that surrounds neurons and like all other parts of the human brain, is amazing.

When it comes to learning something new, neurological processes are activated when presented with something you never knew before.  When we learn, myelin thickens.

This thickening has the affect of strengthening neurons, helping to form new connections between them, as well as repairing lost connections.  The most amazing outcome though is that it’s shown to increase the speed of further learning.

In other words, the more you learn, the faster your ability to learn.

Put still another way, learning begets learning.

So learning, via the hi-octane fuel that myelin provides, widens your lens, provokes you to seek out more and other related (or unrelated) subjects, interests and in essence, is shown to improve brain health.

It’s not just about doing courses, improving education levels in big steps, or learning entirely new skills.  Learning even the simplest thing, single percentage steps, a word, phrase or random, interesting fact has the same neurological effects.

I first experienced this some time ago when I learned about Chuck Norris’ Action Jeans (yes, they were a thing).

At the time I wrote about it, I had no knowledge of neuroplasticity, though I evidently had an understanding of how learning new things can lead to a cycle of ever-increasing knowledge and application (and specifically at that time, to Marketing).  You can read it here.

The really good news is that these neurological processes happen in every individual, however there’s a catch.

That is, if myelin is a gate across the field where you keep your knowledge, then whether or not the agitation and thickening of it has efficacy is entirely up to your action when it swings open.

If, as new knowledge approaches, your response is to pull the gate shut because you’re not open to learning new things, too busy, inflexible, etc., then myelin may eventually stop opening the gate altogether.

You’re also less likely to even put yourself in situations or environments where you can learn something new (like reading, a lot).  That’s the effect of myelin (or lack of it) as well.

So stay curious.  Do a course in something that interests you. Road trip. Overseas trip.  Read.  Draw.  Write.  Listen.  Watch.  Craft.

Adsorb new ideas, angles and knowledge in any way that works for your preferred MO and personality. 

Open up and remain open to the richness of things you don’t already know, keep learning and grow.

* David is a highly accomplished senior marketing executive leader with over 15 years experience leading the creation, design and management of integrated brand, marketing and communications strategy. 

With experience in verticals and premium brands that include consumer products and services (retail and B2B), automotive, motorsport, transportation and entertainment, David can lay claim to a strong record of achievement as a strategically-focused marketing team leader.

Invite, Entertain, Interact, Experience, Engage, Motivate is David's mark and the ties that bind his MO for delivering marketing success.

Visit davidturney.com.au