The Problem with Self Learning

In academia, there is a lot of discussion about self-directed learning. Autodidactism is the process of learning without the guidance of schoolmasters. I consider myself a self-directed learner, so I am all for it.

There are all kinds of ways to teach yourself. You can read books, take webinars, watch videos, have discussions, and countless more. There are more ways to learn every day.

There are also many benefits to self-directed learning. It can be relatively inexpensive. You can learn at your own pace. You can focus on the elements that you find fascinating.

There are some dangers, however, in self-teaching. People love to talk about “doing your own research.” However, that often means, “I read it on the internet.” People tend to study things from sources they agree with. This is because we trust familiar sources. But should we?

An advantage of structured learning is that your understanding and conclusions on a topic are often challenged and corrected. You can study for yourself, but until your conclusions are held up to scrutiny, they are often weak or flawed.?

The less scrutiny you have of your conclusions, the more likely you are to be wrong. But we are often quick to accept what feels right or what aligns with our already held views. We don’t like to say, “Yeah, I was totally wrong about that.” It can be hard to admit.

There are many concepts and topics that require a deeper dive to fully understand. A twenty minute YouTube video just won’t suffice. One can even do an in depth study on a topic for years, but if every source they are studying has the same frame of reference, you may find yourself an expert in a lot of nonsense. Echo chambers abound.

Self-directed learning is wonderful. To maximize the opportunity we must evaluate alternative ideas, be tested and challenged on our conclusions from actual experts in a domain, and be open to having our mind changed rather than having our beliefs confirmed.

Always continue learning. And always continue testing your conclusions.

David B. McLaughlin is the founder of Pendulum Coaching, LLC and host of the podcast, The Mindful Leader.?David is a popular speaker and coach on mindfulness and emotional intelligence. You can learn more at pendulumcoaching.com and sign up for his weekly email newsletter. But wait, there’s more! He just released his second blues album, The Stranger, available on all streaming platforms!?Find out more at thatsfantasticentertainment.com.