The dominant learning culture pushes you to learn like you are crossing a finish line. You need to get it done, be certified and then go ahead and do something else. If you approach learning this way, you’re likely to do it in a hurry, to compare with others and to value only the results. A healthier way to look at it is to approach it as a habit. Learning is a practice. Learning is something you keep on doing as you go, that is dictated by your curiosity, needs and insights. When you approach learning like this, it is less about demonstrating to yourself that you are capable, but more about creating an understanding that grows over time.
The key element of this is attention. Learning effectively requires you to pay attention to the material itself, but also to your learning process, to what you are struggling with, what you are missing and what you still need to learn. A clog in the learning flow isn’t something you need to push through, but is more like a signal that some digestive process is happening in the background. This makes learning feel more down to earth and less of a performance. It means you can take consistent actions, rather than a few days of massive effort, and burn out.
Consistency is a big part of turning information into a skill. Better than doing a few things drastically is doing small things consistently. The best learning habits are ones that fit into your lifestyle, rather than ones that you try to squeeze into it. Over time, this leads you to feel like you are the one that is responsible for your progress, rather than someone else.
Another key thing is reflection. Without reflection, learning can feel very robotic. It allows the insights to digest, for patterns to emerge and for clarity of direction to arise. It is through reflection that learning becomes more fully understood, integrated with what you already know, your values and your life. This solidifies not only your skills but also your discernment and trust.
Finally, learning as a habit means that your relationship with learning changes. You are not in a rush anymore, but you are learning with your feet firmly planted on the ground. You aren’t worried about how you compare to others, how fast you are going or what you still need to learn. Learning isn’t something you are doing to achieve something else, but is a natural part of your life and work.