Giving things the time it needs

One of my weaknesses is that I often expected to have immediate knowledge acquisition. When I notice a coworker's expertise in a particular area, I often feel inadequate for not having that same level of understanding, failing to acknowledge their years of experience in that field. This will trigger me to hastily skim through many articles, resulting in poor retention and subsequent frustration over my lack of understanding.

I was talking with one of my mentors today, whom constantly blows me away with her expertise in so many areas. She casually mentioned something about a colleague's project, saying, "I've read all 37 of your design documents, and I know you don't know the answer." I was curious how she managed read with such efficiency, given all the meetings she is in, and I asked if she was simply a fast reader.

She said that her method is to print out all of her reading material (like me!), and dedicate hours away from her computer in the morning or before bed to focus on reading. This exchange made me realize that much of what I aspire to learn really is learnable, just with dedicated time and effort. Before leaving work today, I followed suit and printed hundreds of pages of reading material. I was so inspired I easily got through one design document as I was getting ready for bed.

I look forward to start giving myself the time I need to thoroughly engage with my work and enhance my understanding.