You Can’t Afford Not to be a Lifelong Learner
What’s something new that you’ve learned recently? And I don’t mean a new factoid or term your kids are using. I’m talking about a completely new skill, however small. Something you knew nothing about before. It’s back-to-school season, so this is the perfect time of year for a reminder—from all of us at Begin Development—that lifelong learning is for everyone. Here’s why.
Learning new things makes you more empathic. If you’re in the middle of your career, it may have been years since you have learned a skill for the very first time. And that’s not a good thing. Being a beginner is loaded with heightened feelings of confusion, excitement, fear, possibility, frustration, satisfaction, and embarrassment. A beginner is forced to don the label of newbie and that’s a good thing. The Zen masters call it Beginner’s Mind. The beginner stage is an important reminder that everyone is a beginner at something. And some people are beginners at the thing(s) you’re an expert at. To be a beginner is to empathize with the feelings of all beginners and to adopt a growth mindset: the belief that with practice and patience, you will improve at the things you are unskilled at today.
Newfound mastery makes you more interesting. When you are constantly learning, you always have something fresh to talk about over lunch or at a conference. Whether it is related to your industry or to some fun new hobby you’re trying out, sharing what you learned recently is a genuine way of connecting with old friends as well as new acquaintances. Having an array of interesting topics at your disposal can boost your confidence.
Here are four tips for infusing learning into your life today.
#1: Lower the bar.
Most people agree that lifelong learning is aspirational, but not everyone makes time for it. One possible reason for this is because of unrealistic expectations. If you’re working full-time or raising a family, it’s not realistic to expect yourself to complete another university course or degree. Lifelong learning in this stage of your life might look like watching a YouTube video on how to replace the windshield wiper blades on your car and then doing it. Then remember to revel in that sense of pride.
#2: Swap what you’re already doing.
Rather than making learning a chore or a hobby that you try to add to your already packed schedule, how can you infuse learning into the things you’re already doing? Meal prep is a great place to start (because hey, everyone’s gotta eat!) Try signing up for one of those pre-prepped cook-at-home meal services and see what new sauteeing or saucing skills you learn along the way. Or try building some learning into your workout routine. Maybe now’s a great time to try the rowing machine at the gym or try out a yoga class instead of your usual weight lifting.
#3: Take back lost time.
Thanks to podcasts, audiobooks, and other audio-formatted apps, you can turn your workouts and commutes into classrooms. When I finally admitted to myself that listening to books was just as good as reading the words on a page, I more than doubled the number of books I read in a year. Not sure where to start? If you don’t already have a “To Read Someday” book list, here’s a good place to start for some of the greats >> or here are Begin Development’s favorite growth and development reads >>
#4: Switch from entertainment to education.
Prime your mind for curiosity and learning by making one simple switch: trade films and tv shows for documentaries. Who knows where that curiosity might lead?
