Three ways to learn something new.
When did you last learn something new? Most adults excuse themselves from learning anything new because they associate it with some difficult-to-master skill. The ready excuse is that they are too busy. Now ask a child the same question and you will get a ready response. They might tell you that they are learning how to identify more road signs or nurture a plant on their own. Learning is never complicated for a child because they are eager to know more.
For adults, learning something new can be as simple as taking a tiny step away from their comfort zone. It can mean learning a new habit or ritual. It can mean a change in routine that is weighing you down. It also means becoming more open-minded and curious. What have you always wanted to learn and why? How does it benefit you beyond the usual goal of making more money or accumulating more material? Learning can be hard for adults. Begin by asking yourself what you would enjoy learning. When you love what you learn, you find the space for it in your life.
Learn by doing. The only effective way to learn is by doing. We learn best by applying ourselves and gaining experience through acting. Theory-driven training does not help since it does not allow you to put theory to action. You gain valuable experience by doing and will not learn much in environments where ‘learning’ is mostly theory-based.
The best way of learning about anything is by doing. – Richard Branson
Mistakes and more mistakes. Expect to make plenty of mistakes when learning anything new. Good teachers encourage you to learn through mistakes. Good drawing teachers, for instance, will ask you to draw a bit, sit back, study your mistakes, erase, and draw again. Again and again. Keep trying. Learn to accept failure as part of the process until you learn how to do it.
There’s a bit of hidden magic in every mistake. The magic is called learning. – Robert Kiyosaki
Keep at it. Chip away at your learning as often as you can. Want to learn a new language? Watch movies in that language to to master the basics better instead of relying on bookish knowledge alone. Speak the language as much as you can without feeling embarrassed. Learn to be okay with getting it wrong. Devoting a little time every day works far better than devoting time to learning, say, once every month. Learning happens in small, consistent steps.
When you enjoy learning something, you will find yourself applying yourself and going the extra mile for it. Get started today and you will soon be enjoying the process of trying and learning.
