How to master the system of lifelong learning and gain new knowledge every day

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

You can learn new things, even if it seems that there is no time for it at all. The main thing is the right approach to the process.

If you look at successful people, you will notice that many of them have achieved heights not because of talent and luck, but due to continuous personal growth and education. They took the time to reflect on what they wanted to learn and how best to plan the process. And then we proceeded with determination to the practical part. It turns out that everyone can succeed.

Over the past three years, I have found time to figure out what interests me: from growth marketing to bitcoin and blockchain. Also developed UI / UX design and front-end development skills useful for my career. The lifelong learning system helped me in this.

1. List the topics or skills you want to learn and prioritize them

Working on the right things is probably even more important than working hard.

Katerina Fake co-founder of Flickr

A key step in creating the right learning environment is figuring out where to start. Therefore, you need to put together a short list of topics and skills to master for the next few months.

From the themes you can choose, for example, the same cryptocurrency, health and fitness or mental health. Skills - programming, design or learning a foreign language. In general, focus on your own interests.

After compiling the list, all positions in it need to be arranged in priority order. Be based on criteria that are important to you. For example, does it help your career, are you enthusiastic, how difficult it will be to learn it. The list should be two to three very specific items so you can focus when you start learning.

You can draw a table and rate the criteria for each topic or skill on a scale of 1 to 10. Or just trust your intuition - do as you like.

Ideally, you need to remove from the list positions that will not help your career, are not particularly interesting to you and are difficult to accomplish in a given time frame.

2. Find out which teaching method works best for you

The next step is to define your learning style so that it goes as quickly as possible.

Among the classifications of learning styles, Neil Fleming's VARK model is very popular. According to her, there are four learning styles: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading and writing.

• Visual - students perceive images, graphs, diagrams, and the like. If you like to watch educational videos, you are a visual.
• Audible - audials perceive information better by ear. If you memorized well everything that you told in the lectures, then you should find a tutor or try listening to podcasts.
• Kinesthetic - kinesthetics need to gain practical experience.
• Reading and writing - learning happens most effectively while reading. An additional benefit is capturing important points.

Of course, in the real world, most people learn in several styles at once. And you, most likely, also gain knowledge in different ways. So, before I was a visual: I had to watch online courses to learn something. But since then I've also started listening to podcasts and audiobooks, reading articles and other printed materials.

Consider which learning style is more comfortable for you. Many people will prefer video, but listening to audio and reading is also effective.

3. Find the best sources of information

Once you've figured out what you will learn and how, it is time to find resources. The first thing they usually do is open up Google and type something like "best UI / UX design books" or "best JavaScript courses" into the search bar. However, Google is not always the best solution.

A better strategy is to find an expert in the field you plan to study. You will be lucky if you manage to do this through your contacts, but you can also go to the Internet. Ask an expert to recommend paid and free sources that he used and was pleased with.

Or, instead of flipping through general lists of online courses, read expert articles with one or two sources they like. Your best bet is to find a resource that is recommended by a variety of experts in your area of interest. What works for one person may not work for another. Search until you find a source - an article, book, video, or podcast - that is authoritative, interesting, and informative.

4. Make a study schedule

One of the most important steps is planning study time. If you are a student or work, your schedule is already hectic, so you may not have time for additional knowledge.

But, be it 20 minutes or one hour a day, we can still carve out some time. You just need to minimize unimportant and useless things - scrolling the feed on social networks, for example. Instead, take up teaching.

I always listen to podcasts while I eat breakfast. I read a book while I wait for the class to begin in front of an audience. I spend most of my free time studying. I think you can do it too.

5. Find a training partner or mentor

If you want to ascend yourself, help someone else to be elevated.

Booker T. Washington educator, public speaker, politician, writer

It's better to dive into a new topic with a partner. You will be able to control each other and discuss incomprehensible points. Or he will simply motivate you.

Better yet, find someone who can monitor your progress and provide advice. When I was studying UI / UX design, I was lucky to find a mentor - my friend Alexis. He wrote an article that will probably help you find your mentor.

While I was working on the project, Alexis looked at my designs and pointed out errors. He gave advice, suggested what was missing and what needed to be improved. Timely feedback has greatly accelerated the learning process, so I advise you to find a team of like-minded people or a mentor.

6. Make Social Media Help You Learn

Of course, even if I'm focused on productivity, I still go to social media. I follow the updates from friends, news and channels necessary for the main study. Therefore, I made sure that useful content appeared on my social networks.

I signed up for informative accounts like TechCrunch that talk about technology and IT news. I read or bookmark all design articles, especially the ones Alexis repost on her page. I am also subscribed to The Verge and Vox YouTube channels - they publish very cool and informative videos.

7. Share your knowledge with friends or write an article

A person who says he knows what he is thinking, but cannot express it in words, usually does not know what he is thinking.

Mortimer Adler philosopher, educator, promoter of liberal arts education

The best way to fully master knowledge is to transfer it to another, to teach it. This method is called the Feynman technique, after the Nobel Prize winner in physics.

The method consists of four steps:

• Choose a topic that you have recently mastered.
• Write her explanation, paying attention to the problematic points.
• Look for sources that can help you better communicate a topic.
• Explain it again, simplifying and making it clearer.

Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 until the talk is simple enough and accessible to your audience.

I noticed that speaking at seminars as a speaker or simply explaining something to another person, I remember information best. For example, as part of an internship, I needed to create a Customer Journey Mapping. I found out as much as possible about it, took notes and drew it up. A couple of days later, my friend suggested that I give a master class. What a lucky coincidence!

I considered the master class as an opportunity to consolidate knowledge and agreed. I prepared as best I could: I wrote down everything that I would tell, paid attention to the moments that should be given a little more attention. And after the speech, I became much more confident in my knowledge of this topic.

8. Go through all the stages again

When you are already well-versed in the issue that you have begun to study, you can tell others about the topic and pass on your knowledge, it's time to move on. Go back to the first step, open the list and do the same to learn something else, or add new goals to the list. Have fun with it!

9. Don't make excuses for not learning

In the end, there is no excuse for this. But there are many ways to learn that you only need 20 minutes a day. If you are one of those who need a kick, sign up for an online or offline course to get the incentive. Or take an internship, take on a project that will help you learn a new skill.

If you are too busy in your main studies or work, that also does not excuse you. Listen to podcasts or watch informative videos while dining or on the road.

If you need to relieve tension, watch a program that is both entertaining and useful information. For example, I love the series Silicon Valley.

In general, there are no excuses. Until you get used to spending so much time on self-education, take one or two days off to relax. Soon you will be able to study continuously and you will realize how pleasant it really is. Take the first step towards new knowledge and you will find that it can be a lot of fun.