If you know me, you know I'm a big supporter of learning. No, I'm not totally supportive of the traditional schooling forms of learning and education as they stand today, but rather the overall concept of furthering your knowledge through intentional learning. As such I spend time watching TV shows that can teach me about sales and culture and human nature and I spend over an hour each day reading emails, articles and newsletters to educate me on a whole variety of topics including current events, economics, business and faith so that not only am I better educated personally, but I can better support my clients in whatever areas we work on.
Like many people I've been keeping an eye on the situation in Ukraine with Russia and one of the biggest issues I have with the whole thing (besides the loss of human life and culture), is the why. Pointing to past military conflicts like WWII or the US Civil War it's really clear why they started and what the disagreement was, but there's not been a clear statement on why the world is facing some really epic issues because of the decisions of the leader of Russia. If you've been following the situation since it started earlier this year we know that it hasn't gone the way Russia thought it would go, it wasn't the easy victory they were expecting, so now Russia is in a bit of a situation that they either try to save face and eventually win, or give up (or be defeated) and they'll be in a bigger pickle. Going back to the topic of learning, I learned the other day that Russia's economy isn't great and hasn't been great, which makes me wonder if this is a "strategic" effort to gain more resources and a better strategic economic position in the world.
Growing up one of the gifts I would get for Christmas were Matryoshka dolls. They're works of art made of wood that are one doll nestled inside of the other, some with only a few dolls inside each and others with dozens in them, and they originated in Russia. Much like the Pysanky eggs made in Ukraine, the craftsmanship of the Amish people who live in Pennsylvania and other US states, Polish pottery, Moroccan arts and crafts, and other hand crafted treasures specific to countries around the world, the Matryoshka dolls are an incredibly detailed creations that take creativity and craftsmanship.
Which brings me to the point: there have to be better ways to fix an economy for both the present and future than trying to invade another country and causing incredible loss of life in two countries. Sure, buying or copying an existing economic aspect that is successful (like buying a business or becoming a franchisee) is an option, and it's been a viable option for practically as long as we've been doing business in the ways that we do. But there's a partnership and agreement that takes place when those types of business transactions take place. Here, there's just a whole lot of destruction which will negatively affect whomever tries to do business with those resources in that region for years to come. I've shared about one, and I'm sure that there are other economic prospects for Russia, so who thought that military action would be the best way to boost an economy?
And the tie-in to our lives? It's a reminder that there's always more than one way to go about things: a "who cares" stubborn-and-often-blind option and the I've-thought-things-through option (which actually tends to be more than one option typically too). Sure you could yell at your partner about something, sure you could fire an employee, sure you could punish your kid, but do you really have all the information, is that going to be the best option for you and them for both the present and future, and what's your plan if that action doesn't get you the result you're looking for? So take the time to learn, don't forget that the world isn't static but that it changes and develops constantly, and remember that you're not alone in life.
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