Is it about learning one big thing throughout your life or is it about those small things we learn every single day? Knowledge is just an abstract until applied or shared.

Remember

Expanded perspective

We know our strengths and weaknesses, we know what we can do and what we can’t. This might not always be true if you are willing to change it by learning and trying new things. Sometimes, even small actions can bring big changes for good and a path to lifelong learning.

I have a friend who always thought she would not participate in any activity which is risky. A few months earlier she bungee-jumped in Rishikesh from a height of 83 meters. This did not require her to learn a new skill but did require her to change her mindset and jump out of her comfort zone. Now after the jump, she feels more confident about herself and this confidence started a snowball effect boosting her confidence in other areas of her life.

Filter out content

We are living in an era of too much information, but it is not necessary that we are consuming the right information. Social networks and internet, in general, is full of information that is engaging but might not useful. You need to learn to filter out information and focus on the topics that help you take actionable steps towards self-development.

You can either be mindful of these choices or use different tools like Feedly to filter out what you consume. You can also reduce the amount of time you spend on websites or apps which distract you. One of the most important things is to have a direction in which you want to expand your knowledge.

Set learning goals

Until you have a goal about what you want to learn, you will end up consuming everything that you stumble upon. Have something concrete in place, set soft goals for yourself to give you direction and allow you to skip the interesting content which is not helpful for you.

For eg., you want to improve your sleep quality.

First set a goal “Improve sleep quality”

Give it a deadline “improve sleep quality in 20 days”

You need to give enough time for this change to happen, learn about it, try it and see what works for you.

Now when you consume information online you know what your focus is and you will learn more effectively as you can quickly try out what you have learnt.

Lifelong learning doesn’t mean learning the big things for the biggest goal in your life. Lifelong learning is about small steps, the small learning that leads up to a fulfilled and more confident life.

Once you have learnt things and have applied those learnings to your lifestyle it becomes a natural habit to learn new things that you can apply. It gives you that self-belief and self-confidence that you can do things that you don’t know about. Learning becomes a skill that you have to attain new skills and you are more flexible about what you can do. You become more open to pushing your limits and trying things that can lead to more opportunities in your personal and professional life.

Ask and share

The interesting part about knowledge is that it is useless until applied or shared. Asking for knowledge and sharing what you know is the best way to learn and help others learn. There will be things that you cannot apply but there will be people who search for that knowledge to apply it to something. If you know it, it is your responsibility to help others seeking for that knowledge.

Following this path of lifelong learning can be a path of solitude as you have to give yourself time. So it is important to keep a balance between self and the world around you. Asking too much or sharing too much can harm you at times, so be mindful when it starts hurting.

Final thoughts

We as humans are naturally curious and we have a zeal towards learning new things and progressing in our lives. Learning new things gives us options and choices in our personal and professional lives. When you have knowledge of different fields and subject matters it is easier for you infer what is right for you. Lifelong learning is a lifestyle of constant improvement and journey to be better every single day.

What is the first thing that you would like you learn and apply?

Reference

• The Pursuit Of Happiness: Never Stop Learning – Pick the Brain
• Lifelong Learning | SkillsYouNeed