If you were to develop one skill to help you in all aspects of your life, what would it be?
Studies have shown that one of the best gifts you can give yourself is to become a lifelong learner. What exactly is a Lifelong Learner? A simple definition is that it is someone that “engages in the “ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated” pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons.” Why should you be a Lifelong Learner? Because, quite simply, without learning, the mind stagnates.
Thankfully, becoming a lifelong learner isn’t hard. Below are ten easy ways to build a habit of learning that will serve you in years to come.
Commit
Unless you make lifelong learning a priority, you’re not going to do it. You start with committing to change and then go from there.
Create a Personalised Learning Environment
True learning results when you take charge of your learning environment. Sit down with your mentor and make concrete goals. Set up a system that enables you to learn and a setting in which you can learn. Once you have this, you are truly ready to begin.
Read
Read books, magazines, news articles, academic journals, and anything that catches your attention. If it’s interesting to you, then it’s worth perusing.
Keep a List
Have a question? Write it down. Come back to this list later and Google the answers. Let this become the jumping off point for learning new things.
Create
Create a project out of one of the things you find interesting. Set goals, give a timeline, and a final deadline to complete it. Invite others to take part in your project with you. You learn so much more when you collaborate. Create milestones and celebrate each one on your road to completion.
Socialise
Engage with and socialize with people who also enjoy learning. These will become your encouragers and mentors along the way.
Become a Mentor Yourself
We all have something we’re good at and could help others learn. Your particular skill set might be what someone else needs to succeed. By getting involved in mentoring, you find yourself not only cementing the knowledge you already have but learning new things as well.
Study with Others
When you work with a group, it’s generally easier to learn as you can draw upon the base of shared knowledge. That, in turn, helps you to discover new things yourself.
Seek out a Job that Encourages Lifelong Learning
The final step toward lifelong learning is to find work where you are encouraged to learn new things, and which continually challenges you.
Remember, building habits that lead to lifelong learning relies on repetition. Consciously engage in learning activities as often as possible, making them a part of every single day if you can, for optimal success.