"I don't think much of a man who is not wiser today
than he was yesterday." - Abraham Lincoln
"I have never let my schooling interfere with my
education." - Mark Twain
Assuming the public-school system hasn't crushed your soul,
learning is a great activity.
It expands your viewpoint. It gives you new knowledge you
can use to improve your life. Even if you discount the worldly benefits, the
act of learning can be a source of enjoyment.
But in a busy world, it can often be hard to fit in time to
learn anything that isn't essential. The only things learned are those that
need to be. Everything beyond that is considered frivolous. Even those who do
appreciate the practice of lifelong learning can find it difficult to make the
effort.
Here are some tips for installing the habit of lifelong
learning:
(1) Always have a Book
It doesn't matter if it takes you a year or a week to read a
book. Always strive to have a book that you are reading through, and take it
with you so you can read it when you have time. Just by shaving off a few
minutes in-between activities in my day I can read about a book per week.
That's at least fifty each year.
(2) Keep a "To-Learn" List
We all have to-do lists. These are the tasks we need to
accomplish. Try to also have a "to-learn" list. On it you can write
ideas for new areas of study. Maybe you would like to take up a new language,
learn a skill or read the collective works of Shakespeare. Whatever motivates
you, write it down.
(3) Get More Intellectual Friends
Start spending more time with people who think. Not just
people who are smart, but people who actually invest much of their time in
learning new skills. Their habits will rub off on you. Even better, they will
probably share some of their knowledge with you.
(4) Guided Thinking
Albert Einstein once said, "Any man who reads too much
and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking."
Simply studying the wisdom of others isn't enough; you have to think through
ideas yourself. Spend time journaling, meditating or contemplating over ideas
you have learned.
(5) Put it Into Practice
Skill based learning is useless if it isn't applied. Reading
a book on C++ isn't the same thing as writing a program. Studying painting
isn't the same as picking up a brush. If your knowledge can be applied, put it
into practice.
(6) Teach Others
You learn what you teach. If you have an outlet for
communicating ideas to others, you are more likely to solidify that learning.
Start a blog, mentor someone or even discuss ideas with a friend.
(7) Clean Your Input
Some forms of learning are easy to digest, but often lack
substance. I make a point of regularly cleaning out my feed reader for blogs I
subscribe to. Great blogs can be a powerful source of new ideas. But every few
months I realize I'm collecting posts from blogs that I am simply skimming.
Every few months, purify your input to save time and focus on what counts.
(8) Learn in Groups
Lifelong learning doesn't mean condemning yourself to a
stack of dusty textbooks. Join organizations that teach skills. Workshops and
group learning events can make educating yourself a fun, social experience.
(9) Unlearn Assumptions
You can't add water to a full cup. I always try to maintain
a distance away from any idea. Too many convictions simply mean too few paths
for new ideas. Actively seek out information that contradicts your worldview.
(10) Find Jobs that Encourage Learning
Pick a career that encourages continual learning. If you are
in a job that doesn't have much intellectual freedom, consider switching to one
that does. Don't spend forty hours of your week in a job that doesn't challenge
you.
Set out to do something you don't know how. Forced learning
in this way can be fun and challenging. If you don't know anything about
computers, try building one. If you consider yourself a horrible artist, try a
painting.
(12) Follow Your Intuition
Lifelong learning is like wandering through the wilderness.
You can't be sure what to expect and there isn't always an end goal in mind.
Letting your intuition guide you can make self-education more enjoyable. Most
of our lives have been broken down to completely logical decisions, to the
extent that making choices on a whim has almost been stamped out.
(13) The Morning Fifteen
Use the first fifteen minutes of your morning as a period
for education. If you find yourself too groggy, you might want to wait a short
time. Just don't put it off until later in the day when urgent activities will
push it out of the way.
(14) Reap the Rewards
Learn information you can use. Understanding the basics of
programming allows me to handle projects that other people would require
outside help to accomplish. Meeting a situation that makes use of your
educational efforts can be a source of pride.
(15) Make it a Priority
Few external forces are going to persuade you to learn. The
desire has to come from within. Once you decide you want to make lifelong
learning a habit, it is up to you to make it a priority in your life.
