Use It or Lose It: What a Quiet Flight Taught Me About Growth and Action

Not long ago, I shared a lesson titled “Use It or Lose It,” a quiet reflection I had one Monday morning while waiting at a hotel, wondering whether I was truly using the knowledge and skills I had acquired over the years.

That moment stirred something deeper in me. It challenged me to revisit not just what I’ve learned, but how I live it.

Later that day, as I boarded a plane, that same reflection followed me into the air. Cruising above the clouds, I wasn’t just flying physically, I was flying through thoughts.

Questions kept circling in my mind:

"Am I still learning? Am I growing? Or am I just stuck with old knowledge?"

I remembered a powerful quote from Napoleon Hill:  “Knowledge is not power. Applied knowledge is power.”

And from the Bible, in James 1:22:  "Do not merely listen to the word, do what it says.”

Both reminded me, learning is not the goal, living it out is.

While I was on the plane, I opened my notebook and started writing:

1.  What’s one idea I’ve been delaying get it done?
2.  What knowledge needs to be reviewed and updated?
3.  What skill have I neglected to sharpen?
4.  Who can I reach out to for growth, or give back to with what I know?

It wasn’t about being busy, it was about making deliberate choices.

As Napoleon Hill teaches, “definiteness of purpose” is what gives direction to knowledge. It's about knowing what you want, why you want, and how you plan to get there. 

Without purpose, even the best information just gathers dust.

And from the biblical story of the talents, I was reminded again; The ones who multiplied what they were given were rewarded. The one who buried his gift lost even the little he had.

It’s not fear that holds us back most times, it’s inaction. It is not a lack of resources, but a lack of decision. So, here’s the message I landed with that day: You already have more than enough to begin.

• You have experience.
• You have wisdom.
• You have opportunity.

Now, the question is: Will you apply it? Or will you keep it buried?

Because in the end, it’s true,

Use it, or lose it.