unleash the toddler inside to fall back in love with learning

As children, a lot of us learned with boundless curiosity and joy. We tackled new challenges with determination, and we kept going at it until we mastered several skills at a very young age.

As people grow older, many lose some of that love for learning, some may become too comfortable with their environment and sometimes even stop developing because they are scared of failing.

To become the best version of ourselves, we can rekindle that toddler spirit and embrace a similar active learning mindset.

There’s a toddler inside each one of us!

When I am asked to describe myself, my answer always includes that 'I am a student of learning'. I believe that learning is an essential and vital skill for any leader. Whether leading from the front or using a softer people-centric style, effective leaders must become champion learners to broaden their repertoire.

Leaders are expected to process and remember a lot of information every day in order to make informed decisions and deliver results. The information landscape is limitless and simple tasks and decisions can become daunting for some.

Different people may use different techniques to become better learners. There is plenty research about learning through improved cognitive and stronger neural networks in the brain.

So why not unleash the toddler inside us to fall back in love with learning:

• Toddler energy:

Toddlers are persistent in their pursuit of anything. They keep trying until they get it right, even if it takes countless attempts. We can harness this same power by staying focused on our goals and refusing to give up when faced with challenges.

• Unlearn and relearn:

Toddlers don't have preconceived notions of what's possible or impossible. They are not afraid to try new things because they haven't learned to fear failure yet. And in the words of Yoda: ‘Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned’, we should unlearn outdated ways of thinking and be open to new ideas and approaches to relearn new skills.

• Aim for greatness:

Toddlers will strive for mastery in most everything they do or try, whether it's walking, talking, arguing, drawing or whining to get what they want from a parent. With that same growth mindset, we can show true grit, aim to execute with excellence, innovate and be great at important responsibilities and any challenging tasks we take on.

• Improve not prove:

Toddlers don't seek external validation for their personal accomplishments, at least not until they get quite a bit older. They're simply proud of what they have achieved. Both at work and in our personal lives, we will achieve a lot if we focused more on improving ourselves rather than proving ourselves to others around us.

• Game it:

Toddlers love games. They explore and discover new things every time they play. Nothing is stopping us from making our lives more enjoyable and cultivating that positive attitude when joining or leading a team, attending workshops or seeking out coaching and mentorship opportunities to further advance our careers.

• Practice then teach:

Toddlers are hands on and learn by doing. They observe, imitate and are not afraid to ask anyone for help. By following their example to practice what we have learned, we can get better at anything. Proper delegation and teaching others what we have learned can also help forge stronger neuron connections and muscle memory in the pursuit of mastery.

‘You must unlearn what you have learned’ - Yoda

Maybe by embracing a toddler mindset and these habits, we could fall back in love with learning to quickly adapt and adopt a learning culture of personal continuous improvement where growing and thriving becomes more possible both at work and at home.

Readers are invited to share their insights and comments below.

Best wishes to everyone. Stay safe and healthy.

May the fourth be with you!