Your Learning Journey

Never Stop…

I went back to school at 66.  I was tied for the oldest student in the program.  I went back, not because I needed more letters behind my name. But because something inside me whispered, You’re not done yet.
So, I enrolled in a Graduate Certificate program in Executive Coaching through Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC. It was intense. After years away from classrooms, I had to wrestle with technology, such as learning platforms. Yet, it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time.
 
Here’s why: growth isn’t just lifelong, it’s life-wide.  Yes, we grow over time. But we also grow across every dimension of who we are: spiritually, professionally, relationally, and emotionally. If only one part of us develops, the rest falls behind. Life-wide learning keeps us balanced and reminds us we’re still becoming who we’re meant to be.  The challenge? Comfort zones. They look wise and whisper: You’ve done enough. You have nothing to prove.  But growth doesn’t care how many candles are on the cake. It only asks: Are you willing to keep learning?  I was. And it changed everything.

 A New Role, A New Adventure

That “yes” opened a door. Today, I serve part-time as a Leadership Development Coach with the Saskatchewan Mennonite Brethren (SKMB). So far, walking alongside pastors and leaders seeking to support them in their own journeys has been deeply rewarding.
 
The funny thing about growth is that new invitations will appear once you lean into it.  I never pictured this role years ago. Even a year earlier, it wasn’t on the radar. I had a direction (coaching) but no clear destination. Life-wide learning prepared me for a future I couldn’t yet see. That’s its hidden gift: It prepares us for what’s next before we even know what that is.

The Nudge

Maybe you’ve felt it too. That quiet sense you should do something that stretches you:
• Take a course.
• Write the book that’s been inside you.
• Join a learning cohort.
• Say yes to an opportunity that feels just beyond your reach.
 
It doesn’t have to be a return to school. What matters is staying open, staying curious.  Curiosity has been a surprising companion in my own life. Again and again, it’s led me into life-giving paths I never expected. It might do the same for you.

Why It Matters

When you choose growth, you’re not just investing in yourself; you’re shaping how you show up for others.  Growth spills over. It influences how you lead, how you relate, and how you love. That’s the unseen benefit of never stopping your learning journey. It’s not only about your development—it’s about the impact you leave on others.  Here’s the truth: none of us ever really “arrives.” We’re always becoming. The moment we decide we’re finished growing, something inside us starts to shrink.  Growth doesn’t have to be dramatic. Sometimes it looks like picking up a book you wouldn’t usually read or joining a learning community.  But small steps compound. Over time, they reshape who you are and how you influence others.

The Bottom Line

When you say yes to growth, you change your life and the lives of everyone around you.  So keep learning, keep stretching, and keep saying yes to curiosity. Your best chapters might still be waiting to be written.

Dr. David Simpson
SKMB Leadership Development Coach