Don’t be satisfied with study. In today’s world of home business, divisive politics, and intellectualism, we all want to show off our knowledge or be the smartest in the room. We need to be able to quote the best articles or newest studies, spout trade news or educate the office on the book we are reading. So we spend all our time studying, researching, learning. We are so well-versed that we can drop a meaningful quote with the drop of a hat or go toe to toe with the first left or right-leaning amateur politician on our feeds.

But how often does this study change our lives? How often does that quote we retweeted affect our actions? The turnover is pretty small. 

It takes more than memorizing facts or reading studies to create change. We must internalize what we read. Comprehend it as it relates to our lives. And once we’ve truly understood what we’ve learned. We must put it to use. 

Why spend the time to learn or read if it isn’t going to benefit you or those you hope to serve? All of the knowledge in the world is useless if we can’t use it to help others and help ourselves. 

The smartest person in the room is the one putting those smarts to use, learning, and changing — maybe without a word. The study is only part one. Practice and progress come after.