Karthyayani Amma, a 101-year-old who made history by becoming the oldest learner under the Kerala State Literacy Mission, passed away on October 10. I was literally spellbound as I read more about her life and honestly feel that it is people like her who should be considered role models. Why? Because Karthyayani Amma wasn't just the oldest student in the programme at the age of 96, but had also secured the highest marks in the Aksharalaksham test, a fourth-grade equivalent examination. Here, on the contrary, are many of us (myself included) who are so comfortable in our comfort zones that we give ourselves excuses when we want to learn something new!
So, peeps, today's topic is about how we can always be open to learning like a boss! Age knows no bounds, and time is not your enemy when it comes to the endless journey of learning, whether you're young...or young at heart!
1. My secret sauce
Let's begin with a technique developed by me, which has really worked wonders. I call it CD — Constructive Dissatisfaction! But before you use it, ensure that you know where to draw the line and avoid becoming obsessed.
So, the first step is to decide on the buffer, an inverse of a waypoint or a particular level of progress. This is a prerequisite that you have to achieve. Simply put, your buffer is the level above your pre-set target which is known as 'bonus', and after reaching this stage you shouldn't push yourself too hard. For example, learning hypnosis was my prerequisite and learning neuro linguistic programming (NLP) was a bonus. You can decide on your buffer in any way you want and get creative, like learning two steps per day while learning to dance, finishing two chapters a day while learning a new study technique, and likewise.
Once you have your buffer figured out, you need to maximise your efficiency until you reach your pre-set buffer gradually. After you do, play your own devil's advocate. The true essence of this technique depends on how assertively critical you can be of yourself. Figure out what you could have done better, irrespective of how pleasing the results are. Don't let the praises of anyone get to your head. Learn to tune them out and figure out the chinks in the armour in spite of winning the battle. Make this a habit and ensure that you journal it! This journal becomes your action plan going forward and ensures that you don't repeat the same mistakes.
OKAY... But how does it help me to LEARN?
The biggest advantage of making Constructive Dissatisfaction a habit is that we are our own guide and it's been proven beyond a doubt that the best person whom we listen to is ourselves! This decreases resistance and builds a positive, open attitude which makes us realise that there is more than one way to bell the cat, which in turn makes us open to trying new things, without discounting something easily.
The other way this helps us is when we go through our journal and figure out better ways or formulate strategies to improve. One needs to learn new skills to improve and have an open mindset to gain knowledge which becomes a prerequisite to becoming better. It is a mutually dependent trait that we develop. This works on a deep subconscious level which motivates us to learn anything at any time. The only thing we need to figure out is the starting point.
2. Developing a growth mindset
This term has been used a lot but seldom followed. So, here are my simple tips for developing a growth mindset that shall get you started with a bang:
A) Curiosity killed the cat but improved us
Being inquisitive or curious is what makes us aspire to learn more. Those individuals possessing a wealth of knowledge, who I've come across, have one thing in common — they cannot accept that they do not know something. I'm not suggesting you become a master of all or do a PhD in all subjects; I'm sharing my observation about those who are always open to learning, who at least go back and familiarise themselves with those topics which enable them to participate in discussions to begin with. This curiosity to learn makes these individuals more receptive to new ideas, topics, experimentation and ultimately new experiences that, in turn, reinforce their need to constantly learn. This is definitely an important first step when it comes to developing a growth mindset for constant learning.
B) Move out of your comfort zone
Though it's self-explanatory, I'd like to illustrate a common mistake that most of us make — if it's not related to our profession or line of work, we hardly give it any importance. This is also a comfort zone that needs to be challenged! If you're an engineer and curious about something to do with medicine, give it a read. See if it excites you and if it does, learn as much as you feel like. Do your best to get out of your comfort zone and explore.
C) The "not yet" mindset
Learn to cultivate encouraging self-talk with a simple technique. Replace "I can't do this" with "I can't do this...YET." The addition of "yet" opens up the possibility of growth and development. When we make it a habit and constantly repeat it to ourselves, we programme ourselves for the better. We also need to be more empathic towards ourselves and understand that mastery takes time, effort and sacrifices. Our subconscious ensures that we're constantly reminded to understand and pursue a series of gradual improvements. Do not forget that Rome wasn't built in a day.
3. Failure is the stepping stone, not a foundation stone
Learning from failure is something that everyone talks about. We've even heard that failure is a stepping stone to success. But what we usually do in life is unknowingly consider it as a foundation stone. We let every failure we experience become a foundation to never attempt anything even remotely connected to it. Failures actually make us better in the long run when we strive to understand why and how we failed. When we analyse what went wrong, what we can learn from it, and how we can improve in the future, it's nothing but a constant learning cycle by itself, isn't it? Plus, we also get geared up to learn more, going forward!
Develop resilience by bouncing back from failures with determination and use the negative experiences during that time to develop a fire in your belly and prove others wrong. Each setback is a chance to prove your resilience and commitment to growth, and not only that, you're becoming a force to reckon with, as you're learning to learn from your mistakes.
PRO TIP: Sharing is caring, but it's also very rewarding
I'm sure that these tips should get you started in developing an amazing mindset that shall enable you to constantly learn and be open to learning... So I'd like to end with one last tip and avoid overloading you all with too much info.
Sharing your knowledge is one of the best ways you can constantly learn. When you're teaching others or sharing what you know, you come across aspects which you may not be familiar with while the other person(s) might be aware of it. You can always either choose to ask them or make a note and learn on your own. Either way, your learning is always fuelled by sharing what you know. The other way sharing knowledge helps you develop an open mindset to learn is when those whom you share your knowledge with show their appreciation. Even if not, your popularity rises and this is a strong intrinsic motivation factor. When we are motivated internally, we can do anything that we put our mind to.
Learning and earning aren't interlinked. But it isn't always money! So happy learning folks and all the very best to your learning adventures ahead!
With regards,
Adarsh Benakappa Basavaraj
Your Learning Catalyst
