If you don’t like learning you are probably memorizing it and not really connecting the dots
The single most important skill is learning how to learn
It shows the mirror you always avoided while doing random things being in your comfort zone.
I have been dealing with learning issues lately and my understanding of the process has made me realize that I had lost the joy of learning.
As a student, we were taught to be focused on getting good grades rather than improving the core skill which is learning the subject, as time went by I became an average student who knew how to cram things in the last moment and understand a few of them to get through the exams.
Learning is a hard process its like you have to zoom out stop yourself from focussing on results and work towards a long term goal which you don’t know will give you any benefit or not. The thing with us is we need instant gratification and we don’t focus on learning we just focus on getting it done. This result-oriented thinking has made a lot of people just not looking to enjoy the process of learning.
Post-COVID lot of people have lost jobs the reason I see they are more scared than ever is that the world evolved and the skill they acquired is becoming less in demand and learning new things is like a lost art form these days. When we are in the comfort zone learning new things seems like a task and looks like there is no reason to learn because you might not ever use it, like all the kids say what was the point of learning algebra I never use it daily.
In hindsight, you will realize that learning algebra might be not useful now but it made you smarter it helped your brain evolve and learn the thing which was beyond your reach at that moment. This gives you the courage to take a plunge into learning hard things.
“Once you stop learning you start dying” ~Albert Einstein
This quote sums up that the purpose of life is to keep growing and growth happens only when you are willing to go the distance to pick up hard things that are beyond your reach.
Methods of learning how to learn
1. Make it a habit
Set learning goals for yourself for a period, such as a quarter, six months, a year, or even longer. Then set a daily intention for trying to learn something that day (or week) that will keep you advancing toward your goals.
All big things come from small beginnings ~James clear(Author of :Atomic Habits)
Once you have set goals, then you have to add the reward to it so that once you complete the task you have the experience of reward which would help you when you want to do that task again.
When you do a workout post-workout there is dopamine release which makes you happy and that is the reward which you remember when you have to go through that grinding again because you remember how you will feel post-workout.
2. Stop focusing on the result
Not focusing on results is the hardest thing to do, we are raised to focus on results and perform but if you have seen The Last Dance even the greatest Micheal Jordan was focused on getting the process right.
I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying ~Micheal Jordan
The intensity which he had in training was as good as any match this set him apart from any other player on the planet, he was focused on trying as hard as he could. Failure does not matter it’s the intensity with which you try.
3. Focus on the present moment
You might have heard this before a lot of times to stay in the present moment and not dwell too much on the past and future.
You might have heard similar advice:
- “Don’t get caught up in thinking about the past or the future”
- “Be present in your own life.”
- “All you have is this moment. Don’t let it slip away.”
In the current times, it is the hardest thing to do because there is always the next Netflix series coming up or a new game coming.
Focusing on the present moment helps you do the task at hand well without focusing on the result which can take the joy away from learning and you might just want to get the task done.
You can try mindfulness apps there are tons of them out there, my current favorite is Headspace, they help your brain feel calm and get back in the moment.
You can find tons of material out there which helps you become better but it helps you only if you are open to being a student for life. The greatest people on the planet were students all their life.
“I’m still learning.” ~Michelangelo
