Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.
John Donne
The student aspect of relationships makes common sense. How do you develop skill? Be a student. If you can treat your world and others as your teacher, the more you can learn skill. It is one thing, and an important thing, to find outstanding teachers. It is another to learn from all others and the world. Being a student is a skill.
One of the best ways to further develop your own skills is to teach them to others. In this way you learn to express your skills in a way that others can comprehend and learn for themselves. Like being a student, being a teacher is a skill.
Finally, being a fit partner is a skill as well. Good partnerships are powerful because the whole is more than the sum of the parts. Two partners who work well together will always deliver results greater than both combined. Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations detailed this by describing a concept known as the “specialization of labor.” However, it applies not just on a grand scale of nations and corporations but also down to an individual level. The “specialization of labor” was a revolutionary idea for large-scale economies, as put forth by Adam Smith, but it is equally an important skill for partnerships at an individual level.
Regarding the unique individual, the key to better relationships is to bring this uniqueness and individuality into the present as a student, teacher, and partner without holding on to the past or worrying about the future. This takes honesty, openness, and awareness of your strengths and weaknesses. You are unique, with a voice and talents only you can share with the world.
