We learn how to learn.
Since birth, each of us goes through an individualized development process that creates associative links between our mental processes, our knowledge, and the meaning we derive from it. Even before birth our brains are taking in data and assigning meaning to it. As we grow and develop we actually build a structure of neurons that set up a neural network we become increasingly dependent upon to process all subsequent learning.
If our learning structure is sound and functional, then most things in life are easily learned and we adapt well. If, however, as is usually the case, we make some mistakes in our ignorant era of mental engineering, we end up with some form of learning hindrance.
As adults we have probably become quite skilled at coping with our dysfunctions and hiding them from others, but in truth they still pop up in ways that keep us from moving ahead as we would like. Our successes in life often rely on what we can learn and then the improvements we make from that learning. (Some people can buy a Lottery ticket and find financial success, but without learning, even those windfalls will turn to failure.)
How many of us look at the way we learn and make choices about improving the way we learn? Do we search for more expedient approaches or methods? Do we measure our retention from reading versus listening? Probably not. But, even if we don't jump into the deep end of improvement practices we can wade into the shallow end and find some benefit there.
Why is "learning" the key to all improvement? Because we can learn better ways to learn that will improve how we improve. No matter what we seek to learn these days we can find many sources to help us.
- There are older people who learned it - interview them.
- There are countless resources online - find them.
- There are tutorials online and on CD, tutors who teach and come to your home, and classes for a fee, and for free in most communities.
- Books? There are millions of books in libraries, and at bookstores. There are antique bookstores, online bookstores and translations of foreign books.
Well, there are ways. For instance, we can find computerized assessments of what we already know and how we learn best. These assessments can even suggest to us best practices and best directions to take next. This helps us learn about how we learn.
Knowing this makes me wonder... will learning about learning change the way I see my future? Will it change the possibilities of what I want to become? No matter what, though, learning does seem to be the most important part of our improvement process, doesn't it?