How to Become a Lifelong Learner

Learning is a lifelong process, one that does not stop when you leave school. If you continually aim to increase your knowledge and skills, you will be contributing to your growth as a person and as a professional. Lifelong learning not only helps you become wiser, it also sends a message to your organisation that you are someone willing to work on improving yourself. A rolling stone gathers no moss, and this will serve you well at your workplace, moving you forward in life. So, commit to lifelong learning today!

Learn How to Learn

It may have been a while since your last formal education, and you may be out of touch with how you learn. The first step is to determine your learning style. This may or may not be similar to what it used to be in school. Spend some time understanding what works for you. Are you a visual learner? Do you remember things better if you are presented visual cues for them? Are you an auditory learner? Do you recall things better if you turn them into a song? Are you a kinaesthetic learner? Do building structures and models help you understand concepts better? Learn how you learn, and use that to your advantage.

Unlike school, you can now pick what you would like to learn! You could choose to take an aptitude and interests test before you determine this, or explore different options. You must have the aptitude for the subject matter you are interested in. However, do not rely on memories to decide this for you. You may have had bad experiences with computers in school, but that shouldn't stop you from learning digital marketing now. With age, tastes and personality also mature. Do not deny yourself opportunities to do something you could be successful in because of previous failures.

Look At It as an Opportunity

Lifelong learning is an opportunity to be wiser tomorrow than you were yesterday. Once you establish a mind-set of growth, it will propel you in the direction of self-development. Learning something new is an opportunity to pursue what you love, to explore hitherto unchartered territories, to look at different sources of knowledge and to gain from them what you have set out to seek. It allows you to observe the world from a different perspective, and develop new points of view.

Once you have prepared yourself for the journey of lifelong learning, jump in! A variety of online courses and mobile apps offer courses in myriad subjects, with practical training and practice exercises. Read books in the subject, whether online or in a library, and use that knowledge to complement your learning. Take classes if possible, and ask questions to experts. Apply what you have learned to create something new, and evaluate and reflect upon your learnings. Once you have mastered the basics, see if you can teach the same to someone else; this will help reinforce your own understanding of the topic.

A world of learning awaits you. Begin your lifelong learning journey today!