Recently, I reconnected online with a colleague from the past. It was a typical “hello, how goes it” greeting. However, shortly into the conversation I was shocked and surprised. He had experienced a devastating life event in the last 18 months. As the messaging developed without prompting, my colleague told me about his lessons learned and his coping strategies, such as engaging in projects and hobbies. Then, he said, “I am now determined to live my best life—it was a wake-up call not to put off anything. I am doing my best to accept invitations, make new friends, and renew old friendships.” As I heard this, I thought to myself, How might we learn to live our best lives without being catalyzed by tragedy?
During the next few days, I was working on various things related to talent development and learning. As I thought about creating user and learner…
