Empty Your Cup
“What is most needed for learning is a humble mind.”
- Confucius
Have you heard the story about the professor who visited the Zen master?
If not, let me be the first. A long time ago, there was a wise Zen master. People traveled from around the world to learn from the master. One day, a professor came to visit the master and ask for his advice. “I have come to ask you to teach me about Zen,” the professor said.
The Zen master smiled and said that they should discuss the matter over a cup of tea. After an hour, it became evident that the professor was full of his own opinions and knowledge. He repeatedly interrupted the Zen master with his own stories and failed to listen to anything the master had to say.
The master calmly stood and began to refill the professor's cup. As he poured, the professor saw the tea come to the top of his cup; instead of stopping, the master kept pouring. The tea overflowed onto the table and ran onto the professor's suit. Finally, the professor yelled, “Stop. You are spilling the tea all over. Can’t you see the cup is full?”
The master stopped pouring and smiled at the professor. “You are like this tea cup, so full that nothing more can be added. Come back to me when the cup is empty. Come back to me with an empty mind.”
In the hustle and bustle of our careers, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing we’ve reached our peak. After all, isn’t there a certain comfort in knowing we’re “good enough”? But what if I told you that true excellence is more than just reaching a destination; it's about the continuous journey of learning? Just as one cannot pour tea into a full cup, we cannot become who we are meant to be if we are unwilling to empty our minds and make room for new knowledge.
Embrace Humility
I had been a high school football and strength coach before attending the University of Arkansas as a Graduate Assistant in the weight room. For seven years, I had trained high school athletes. Before that, I trained myself and worked as an athlete in a college weight room. I read “all the books” and added to that a subscription to Joe Weider’s Muscle & Fitness magazine. I was, what I thought, a walking encyclopedia on training athletes.
On my first day, I walked into the University of Arkansas weight room and thought, “Wait until I drop some knowledge on these iron heads!” After five minutes of speaking with legendary strength coach John Stucky, the reality that I was now in the big leagues hit me. Compared to the cup of tea I was holding, Coach Stucky had an ocean of knowledge.
This was one of those epiphanic moments that we all have at one time or another—the moment we know we are out of our depth. It is also a breakpoint. The key is: How do you react? Do you run away with your tail tucked, or do you lean in and begin to ask questions … E-V-E-R-Y S-I-N-G-L-E D-A-Y?
It’s okay that you’re not the smartest person in the room, but it’s unacceptable not to be humble enough to want to close the difference between what you know and what you had no idea existed.
Learning from Experts:
As you embark on this journey of collecting knowledge, seminars, and conventions, become invaluable resources. These gatherings are full of insights from industry leaders who have walked the path before you. They share their stories—the triumphs and failures—that resonate deeply with those seeking guidance.
Too many convention goers make mistakes here. They leave the “performance” and think they just found a diamond. They go off to another speaker and another, heading out to some club to drink and be loud. They miss the chance to listen to the story behind the speaker's story.
I have learned more about speaking to these leaders after their formal presentations while sitting in the hotel bar. Their stage talk is a thumbnail of what, why, how, and when they did what made them successful. Most times, these people are more than glad to share everything with you; you just need to be willing to take the time and ask questions.
These events aren’t just about absorbing information—they’re opportunities for connection. Networking can open doors you never knew existed, and conversations can spark ideas that lead to breakthroughs in your work. Remember, who you know gets your foot in the door; what you know allows you to flourish once you get inside.
Find a Mentor
While seminars provide valuable knowledge, seeking insight directly from top professionals can change your mindset. Don’t hesitate to reach out! Many experts are eager to share their experiences; after all, they once stood where you stand now.
I love to watch great musicians talk about when they were on their last dime and about to head back home to be bar singers when they asked a legend, “How did they do it?” From that one conversation, their lives took a different path. After that, they had a mentor who would help them with other issues they ran into. Ultimately, they went from who they were to who they were meant to be.
Sometimes, all it takes is listening to someone who has been there, a person willing to share their scars. But we must dump out our cups and have an open mind if we want more than anything to get on the right path.
The Art of Asking Questions
Have you ever been in a meeting or a conference where something was said that you didn’t understand? How did you respond? Did you ask the question or sit there hoping the answer to your question would drop into your lap?
As we try to fill our cups, it’s essential to build the courage to ask questions—even those deemed “stupid questions.” Fear often keeps us from voicing a question because we lack background knowledge due to perceived inadequacy or embarrassment.
There have been countless times when I asked what may have been thought a “stupid question,” only to be approached by several other audience members who thanked me for asking that question after the talk. More times than we will ever know, what is beyond us is also over the heads of the others in the meeting.
We need to swallow our egos and raise our hands. Show the world that our cup is empty on this topic.
I see a problem as a giant jigsaw puzzle. Each answer I find is another piece of the puzzle. There have been dozens of times that the answer I got from asking the question also brought several parts of the puzzle together. A few times, the answer was like showing me the picture on the top of the puzzle box. There is the “Ah-ha” moment when everything becomes clear. This allowed me to move on to my next puzzle.
Never be concerned about what others may think as you pursue the answers that will set you apart in your profession.
Pouring Out Your Cup
Ultimately, professional growth lies within our willingness to learn continuously—to pour out our full cups so we may refill them with fresh insights and experiences. Each piece of knowledge gained builds upon another until we find ourselves farther down our professional path than we could have ever imagined.
Start today by approaching our given fields with humility and courage. Attend those seminars, seek mentorship, and ask those seemingly “stupid” questions! When we allow ourselves the grace of learning every day, we lift not only ourselves but also inspire others who follow us along their journeys toward becoming who we were always meant to be.
Remember: you can’t pour into a full cup, but by knowing there is always more that we can learn, we can find the answers that change how we all think.
Have an amazing day!
