Learning with Intention

As we enter the fall, it’s clear that navigating the pandemic will continue to be a marathon – not a sprint – despite what we might have hoped for just a few months ago. So it’s essential that we continue to take care of ourselves and our families to enable us keep moving forward. That means tending to our physical health, of course, but it also means keeping our minds engaged and our souls nourished. One of the ways I’ve done that – not just over the past 18 months but throughout my adult life – is to be intentional about learning. I try to wake up each and every day with the goal of growing my knowledge and expanding my horizons, even if just a little.

However unwelcome the pandemic has been, we should still give ourselves credit for all that we’ve been forced to learn since last spring: new ways of working, communicating, and balancing our home and work lives. We’ve learned new skills, become more flexible, and gained new insights. For my part, I’ve learned that although I still vastly prefer being together in person with coworkers, clients, and customers, connecting by video and phone can also do the trick – by staying focused and actively listening. Thinking about the pandemic in this way has helped me to cope with its challenges.

The irony is that while I love learning, I didn’t really love school when I was a kid, at least not like my brothers – one older, one younger – who thrived there. My grades were good, although I was never the top student in my class. I tried my best, out of respect for my teachers and because my parents and immigrant grandparents had drilled into us the importance of education. Still, when I graduated from college, what I discovered, was that earning a degree didn’t mark the end of my education. Far from it. I found that the opportunities to keep learning were literally endless if I stayed open to it.

Throughout my career, I’ve experienced the benefits of taking that kind of approach. I never had a “master plan” guiding my choices. Instead, I sought out the jobs where I had the most to learn – and thus the most opportunity to grow. That’s what led me to join Cigna in the first place, 30 years ago last month, after the company offered me a spot in one of its development programs. More than once since then, I’ve turned down jobs with higher titles and salaries to take roles that would challenge me more. I’ve never regretted those choices, because I believe there’s nothing more valuable than personal growth.

One great benefit of a learner’s mindset is that it keeps you flexible in the face of change and challenge – two constants in our world. I discovered that on Day One at Cigna. When I arrived, I was told I’d be working in the actuarial department, which wasn’t the original plan. I knew absolutely nothing about the field, and that scared me more than a little. But at the same time, I had the confidence I could learn what I needed to know – and the prospect of doing so excited me. So I smiled, said “Great!” and never looked back.

I’m a “hands-on” learner – I like to learn by doing. I also like to ask questions and soak up the insights of those I’m with. But there are many ways to be intentional about learning. You can read or listen to podcasts. You can ask someone to be your mentor. You can raise your hand to lead a project or seek out a job that’s outside your comfort zone. And of course, you can also take a class. The important thing is to make expanding your knowledge into a daily habit. It’s enriched my life immeasurably, and it’s helped me keep me moving steadily forward with resilience these past 18 months.

If learning is an important part of your life, I’d love to hear what strategies you use to be intentional about it. I hope you’ll take a moment to share your thoughts and stories below – so we can all learn from each other.