When was the last time you learned something for the first time?

Let’s start with a simple thought experiment – ‘When was the last time you learned something for the first time?’ If it was yesterday or last week, it was fabulous, and kudos to you. And don't worry if you can’t recollect any over the past six months. There is always a new start towards developing a ‘New U (You).’

I am not saying that we must learn for the sake of learning. Like anything else, you need a powerful ‘Why’ to inculcate any new habit. It could be that you want to learn to stay relevant in the industry, prepare for your next job promotion, or learn new skills to fulfill your dream, like running a marathon, writing a book, etc. So, what is a ‘good WHY’ to motivate yourself to inculcate the behavior of lifelong learning? Think about it.

A good ‘Why’ will be a good starting point but may not be enough.

Once, a knowledge seeker went to a Guru (Teacher) in a monastery to learn. Guru welcomed him and offered him tea. To his amazement, Guru continued to pour tea even after the cup was full to the brim. The astonished knowledge seeker asked – ‘Guru, why do you continue to pour tea in my cup even when it is full and overflowing?’ Guru smiled and responded– ‘Our mind is like this cup. Always full and preoccupied with many thoughts and knowledge, with very little space for new knowledge.’ So true - isn’t it? We need to make space in our minds, ready to unlearn so we can relearn. We cannot make time even when prioritizing learning new skills and knowledge.

So, how do you think you could make time? How do you prioritize? How do you make learning a habit? I will share three ideas with you:

• First, block time in your calendar for learning. To make it consistent, make sure you put it almost at the same time and duration every day. A word of caution and hope - I tried it and failed miserably. The issue was not with blocking time but with defending it. In the first opportunity, when another urgent work comes up, you will be tempted to give away this time slot. That is a dangerous trap. The hope, however, is encouraging – whenever I could utilize it, I felt energized. And I have promised myself to continue despite my struggle
• Second, have a method and purpose for the learning. Make a list of what you want to learn. Have ‘micro ambition’ and then build on it. Have the ambition to become an expert, but start small with micro ambition one at a time and then build up on the early success
• Third, do not underestimate the need for a Guru or a mentor. The Guru does not need to be someone higher in the organizational hierarchy. It is the other way. The best will be to have some practicing professional as your mentor - may be junior to you in the organizational hierarchy, but a guru or mentor higher in the knowledge hierarchy. There is no shame in going to your juniors or peers to learn. You will earn more respect and will become knowledgeable in the process.

Suppose you have your WHY, are ready to make time (emptying your brain ‘cup’), and have figured out your way of learning. Then, WHAT will you become when you make learning a habit?

We often start with this; for example, I want to move up in the organizational hierarchy and decide what to learn. We then become too focused on external validation rather than having learning as a mechanism for our internal growth. What if I say this to you? You will become a CHILD again when you start inculcating the learning habit. Just think about it. A child learns quickly in the early years – between 15 months and six years. A child thrives on sheer curiosity devoid of ‘adult’ inhibitions. A child learns by observing, mimicking, trying, sometimes failing, and trying again to learn. Wouldn’t training our minds with a child’s curiosity be nice?

Henry Ford once said, ‘Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.’

Let’s open the closed pores of our minds, becoming more curious. Let’s be a child again and start our journey towards becoming a ‘New U (YOU)’ …

Disclaimer:?The views expressed in this article are my point of view and do not represent that of the organization I work for.