10 Important Lessons You Can Learn From a 6-Year-Old | Build a Business, Not a Job Podcast

As adults we often forget that at one point in our life we saw the world and the people around us in a much different light— we saw the world through a child’s eyes.

As we grow up and mature, we allow life and rules to restrict some of the greatest instincts we had as children. 

Instead of never taking no for an answer, waiting for permission, or even embracing our wildest dreams, we fall into a strict regimen we believe will keep us safe and drive us to success. 

However sometimes it’s important to remember that to truly be effective and productive leaders, our old “childish antics” can actually do us some good.

In fact, it turns out the children can teach us a lot about being successful in business and in life.

In today’s episode, Mark Creedon and I discuss ten things we each learned from our grandchildren that can help us in business.

Here are ten things Mark learned from a chat with one of his grandchildren, which I think can help us all in business, success and life in general:

1. The importance of budgeting

Iziah told me if he had $100 he would save half and spend half. He wanted to save half for the future and to have some money put away but he also wanted to enjoy his newfound 'wealth' a little.

2. Follow your passion

I asked him what he wanted to do when he grew up. "Be a vet" he replied. Because he wanted to help animals, he loves animals and he knows that what vets do. Understanding why you do what you do is a fundamental concept we all should get our head around.

3. It is important to play

I asked him what grown-ups should do other than work. "Play" was his response. Recent research from Psychiatrists from John Hopkins University have compared play to oxygen. Taking time to play feeds dopamine into a whole bunch of areas of the brain. 

4. Ask "Why" a lot

Sometimes as adults we stop asking questions. Once we stop asking questions, stop enquiring we can fall into resignation. The end result of that is that we can miss opportunities because we didn't scratch the surface and look at why something is happening or why it might.

Of course, the other issue about us stopping asking questions is we may also miss the opportunity to, learn from mistakes and so we may very well keep making them.

5. Family is more important than money

The point is that there has to be a bigger goal than just money. Money is a great tool and life can be pretty tough without it, but we have to know why we want that money.

6. Family is more than just your household

When I asked Iziah who his family was it was much more than just his Mum, Dad, and brother. he cited his aunts and uncles, grandparents, cousins. The point is to consider who your family is, keep it as wide as possible and make sure you are looking after and keeping connected with all of your 'family'.

7. Don't keep secrets

Families don't keep secrets from each other, Iziah told me. There is a great lesson here. By being brutally honest with our business family, we are more likely to have them join us wholeheartedly on the journey.

8. Schedule time for fun

We mentioned before about the importance of play but life can get in the way. Iziah has an arrangement with his Mum and dad that schedules time in the day for uninterrupted play. That way he knows it will happen and Mum and Dad know nothing will get in the way.

It is like anything in life, business. If all we do is put it on a 'to do' list there is a good chance it will get missed or overtaken by other priorities. Schedule it in your calendar and treat it the same as any important appointment.

9. Always Learn

My grandson goes to school, he reads, he loves learning. That is something we should never stop doing.

10. Get back up and believe in yourself

I asked Iziah what happens when he falls off his bike. "I get up, get Mum and Dad to give me a hug and get back on the bike," he told me.

We all know that what counts is not how many times we fall but how many times we get back up. the other thing he shared was how he deals with climbing high on the monkey bars without fearing a fall. "Think positively and believe in myself " was the answer. Couldn't we all use that little gem?

Michael shares lessons from his grandchildren

1. Kids have no fear

In business, so many of us are stuck in the wrong job just because we are so afraid of the unknown. 

You don't need to know it all before you take a step towards what you want to do. Of course, kids need to be developmentally ready for certain tasks, but if they are interested in, and want something, they will go for it. And, so should we – whether it's big changes, or small, fear of failure should not stop us from new experiences. 

2. Kids are driven by curiosity

We learn by being curious. 

Kids, especially, are so curious it drives them to learn and discover all new things every day. 

In our professional and personal lives, it's common that we settle in our ways, doing the same thing in the same way just because we've grown comfortable, losing our sense of curiosity. 

Curiosity is what drives new experiences and takes us to new places, constantly keeping us on the move towards our future plans and goals, just like it is making our kids grow into the amazing people they are.

3. Kids don't take themselves too seriously

With the little experience, skills, and knowledge in this world, you never see kids worry about things. 

They laugh and enjoy the little moments of everyday life, without losing their sense of humor. 

4. Kids show emotions and communicate

Happy, or miserable, you will know about your kids' emotions even before they are able to communicate verbally. 

We often forget to communicate and show emotions when we are stuck in our everyday life. 

This doesn't mean we should throw a tantrum every time a frustrating situation arises, but it's more about showing empathy and communicating regularly and properly with friends and stakeholders. 

5. Kids don't stop learning

Kids learn every moment of the day, every day. They don't look at learning as we do. Instead, they learn through play and interaction with other kids. They don't feel intimidated by older kids, they are inspired by them and want to know and do what they do. 

As with most things in life, all things new take time to learn. Everything we do, successfully or unsuccessfully, is about learning. So instead of worrying about things, it makes so much more sense to look at it as a learning experience and make the most out of it.

6 Kids also need breaks to re-energize and so do we. 

It's so easy to forget about ourselves and about taking breaks, so next time you are juggling lots of things as a working mom, take a step back and enjoy some time on your own. Whatever it is that makes you relax, make sure you do that at least once a day.

Links and Resources: 

Why not join Metropole’s Business Accelerator Mastermind

Learn more about Mark Creedon – Business Coach to some of Australia’s leading entrepreneurs  

Shownotes plus more here: 10 Important Lessons You Can Learn From a 6-Year-Old | Build a Business, Not a Job Podcast

Some of our favourite quotes from the show: 

“Not taking the first step is one of the most common reasons many people remain unhappy and frustrated.” – Michael Yardney

“Don’t take yourself so seriously, because if you do, you’re not going to enjoy the journey, and you’re not going to achieve what you want.” – Michael Yardney

“Why not show a bit of empathy? Why not communicate regularly about how you feel, and how you feel about others.” - -Michael Yardney 

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