15 Signs You Might Not be Teachable

If you talk more than you listen, you might not be very teachable. When you talk, you can only share what you already know. When you listen, you are able to learn things you never knew.

If you feel the need to act like you already know something even when you don’t, you might not be very teachable. The Bible says pride comes before destruction. It takes humility to acknowledge what you don’t know. You will never learn what you pretend you already know.

If you feel like the way you do things is the only way it should be done, you might not be very teachable. “It’s my way or the highway.” If this is your mindset, not only will you not learn anything new, but it’s very likely you’ll eventually find yourself implementing what you know alone.

If you feel the need to correct the teacher, you might not be very teachable. People are human and it’s inevitable that even those we learn from will say or do something incorrectly. The more we focus on finding fault in them, the less we will be able to learn from them.

If you constantly feel the need to add to what someone else has said, you might not be very teachable. If you continue to add you’re your two cents to every statement someone else makes, you’re going to end up broke.

If you’re constantly cutting other people off while they’re speaking, not only are you rude, but you also might not be very teachable. How many times have you missed out on learning something new simply because you didn’t allow someone to finish their statement? Unfortunately, you may never know.

If you continuously take over the class (consciously or subconsciously), you might not be very teachable. A person who insists on trying to look smart, hinders themself from becoming any smarter.

If you always have advice for everybody else but rarely have any for yourself, you might not be very teachable. Even the advisor needs an advisor. How can you effectively teach someone else in an area you haven’t been student?

If you rarely implement anyone else’s suggestions, you might not be very teachable. Having a ‘this is the way it’s always been done’ attitude prevents new ways of doing things from being identified. If you insist on always doing things the same old way, you’ll never feel the need to be taught any other way.

If you find yourself arguing a lot, you might not be very teachable. Many times we argue in an attempt to defend ourselves or prove our point. We only attempt to prove or defend what we think we already know – which leaves no room for learning anything new.

If you have found something wrong with every teacher you have ever had, you might not be very teachable. There’s an old saying, “When the student is ready, the teacher will come.” Well, for those that don’t have a teachable spirit, no teacher will ever suffice.

If you always have a “reason” why something must be done your way, you might not be very teachable. Reasoning usually results in justification; and you will never be able to be taught if you’re constantly trying to justify.

If you rarely ask questions to gain someone else’s perspective, you might not be very teachable. Asking questions is one of the easiest ways to learn. If you never ask any questions, you may need to question if you really want to be taught.

If you’re finding that there always seems to be something wrong with everyone else and there’s rarely anything wrong with you, you might not be very teachable. A person who thinks they’re perfect just the way they are feel no reason to be taught – especially by someone who’s imperfect.

If people have frequently called you “a know it all”, it’s not a compliment. It’s a sign you might not be very teachable. If you think you know it all, you can’t be taught at all.

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