I Learn by Doing: A Personal Meditation on the Batak Proverb

I Learn by Doing: A Personal Meditation on the Batak Proverb

"You learn how to cut down trees by cutting them down."
— Batak (Batiki) Proverb

That line hits different when you’ve lived it.

I chose this proverb for Day 3 of Tribal Quotes because it calls out something deep that many of us are missing: the wisdom of experience. Too often, we get stuck in thought, tangled in theory, or lost in the illusion of needing to be fully ready before we act. But this proverb cuts straight through the noise.

You want to learn how to cut down trees?
Then cut them down. That’s it.

No Flight School for Birds

Flying is complicated. Aerodynamics, balance, wing structure—it’s not easy. But birds don’t have academies. They learn to fly by flying.

We learn to walk by walking.
We learn to talk by talking.
And we learn to live by living.

But somehow, we’ve been convinced that real learning happens only in classrooms, through lectures, in books. Don’t get me wrong—I value study. But too many of us have been conditioned to fear action until we’ve got a certificate or someone's permission.

That’s not how I got here.

Everything real I’ve learned—about leadership, family, organizing, building—came through doing. Through chopping metaphorical trees with real, imperfect swings. And every scar I picked up along the way added to my understanding.

The Subtractive Power of This Proverb

This Batak wisdom embodies what I call subtractive SelfMastery. It strips away the illusions we cling to:

• That we need to be perfectly prepared before we start.
  
  

• That knowledge alone is enough.
  
  

• That theory without practice builds anything of worth.
  
  

It doesn’t. Not in real life. Real mastery begins when you do the thing.

And the deeper truth? Some of our greatest gifts only show up in motion.

You don’t find your voice until you start speaking.
You don’t become a leader until you start leading.
You don’t become whole until you start walking the path.

Every success I’ve had was earned by doing what I didn’t fully know how to do—yet. It’s the process that teaches you. The proverb reminds me, again and again, that action is sacred.

This is My Process

This isn’t just a nice idea. It’s my lived practice. It’s how I’ve built Gye-Nyame Tribe, how I’ve written my books, launched programs, started podcasts, and helped raise up leaders. Not by waiting. By doing.

Some of the best people I know didn’t spend their lives in classrooms—they spent their lives applying. They apprenticed under life itself. They learned by moving through it.

The same opportunity is available to all of us.

Questions I Ask Myself (And You Can Too)

• What tree have I been standing in front of, afraid to swing at?
  
  

• What am I pretending to study, when I should be practicing?
  
  

• Where in my life am I ready, but still waiting?
  
  

My Personal Challenge to You

Don’t just nod along with this post. Don’t bookmark it for later. That’s not how you cut trees.

Pick up your axe and swing.

Maybe that means making the call. Starting the draft. Having the conversation. Launching the project. Picking up the tool. Stepping onto the path.

Whatever your “tree” is, this is your moment to stop thinking and start cutting.

I’m doing the same thing—every day. And I invite you to join me.

If you want to share your experience or reflect on this proverb yourself, send me your podcast response or post. Let’s learn together, not just by talking—but by doing.

Take the Swing

Today, I’m cutting. Not thinking about it. Not mapping it out. Cutting. And I challenge you to do the same.

One swing. One step. One act. That’s how we get sharper. That’s how we grow. That’s how we master the craft of our lives.

Let’s build. For real.

Join the conversation and share your journey at
https://dot.cards/gnjmedia