10 Ways to Develop a Lifelong Learning Mindset

By Kristen Griffin

Getting an education in a structured setting — a degree from a university or a certificate from a job-training class, for example — is one way to learn, but it’s not the only way.

In fact, if you want to develop your personal relationships, advance in your career and stay ahead in our always-on, always-changing society, it can’t be the only way. That’s where lifelong learning comes in.

Lifelong learning is the ongoing education of the self. Because it’s on a continuum, this type of learning is self-motivated and often self-taught. It’s about turning the act of learning in a classroom into a daily mindset and habit. It’s about having a fierce desire to gain knowledge and skills whenever, wherever and however.

You can learn a language, like HTML or French. Learn a hands-on hobby, like sewing or woodworking. Learn a technological skill that makes you more effective at your job or an interpersonal skill that improves your conflict resolution. How about learning at a museum or through an online class or a self-help book?

The point is there’s no wrong way to be a lifelong learner. You don’t even have to be someone who likes school. You just have to commit to putting in the effort and being open to new challenges and ways of thinking — every single day.

The benefits of being a lifelong learner are as vast and varied as the ways to become one: increased competence and confidence, a sense of purpose and satisfaction, an ability to adapt to change and overcome challenges, greater employability and so on.

Here are 10 steps you can take to begin the rewarding, never-ending process of lifelong learning.

Recognize that you already have the traits of a lifelong learner

Being a lifelong learner has nothing to do with what you put on your LinkedIn ®profile. It’s not reflected in what can be seen in an online bio or resume because lifelong learning is about what’s inside you. An attitude of “I can and I will,” not “I can’t and this will never be,” is essential.

Lifelong learning represents a desire to actively seek out opportunities for growth, not being complacent and waiting for them to come to you. It’s about being willing to put in a sustained effort to learn.

Take a careful inventory of yourself

Developing a lifelong learning mindset starts with knowing yourself. How can you improve your current skills? What knowledge can you continue to build? Have your friends and family commented on a talent you have? What are your strengths and weaknesses, both personally and professionally?

Embrace a growth mindset

You can’t be a lifelong learner if you have a fixed mindset, but you can be with a growth mindset. With a growth mindset, you believe your intelligence and life skills can be developed with concerted effort and thoughtful feedback, not that they’re innate and immutable. You care about the hard work you put into learning, not about how smart you’ll look when the course is over.

Here’s what every lifelong learner believes: If you have an idea of what you want, there’s always a way to get there.

Be curious

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it’s what sustains a lifelong learner. You have to be open to new experiences, good and bad, and what they can teach you. In a way, being a lifelong learner means having constant FOMO-not fear of missing out on a social event, but of missing out on the opportunity to learn and do something new outside your comfort zone.

Curiosity is at the heart of all questions. Always ask questions — of yourself, of people you know, of the internet. When you don’t understand something at work, are confused by what a friend is saying or don’t understand a news reference, ask. Curiosity yields questions, asking questions yields answers, and gaining knowledge is what lifelong learning is all about.

Get comfortable with being uncomfortable

Change can be uncomfortable because your ego may want to protect itself from what’s new and challenging. But discomfort is necessary for the growth that comes from lifelong learning — that whole “two steps forward, one step back” thing.

Every hiking trail begins with someone trampling through uncharted territory. Imagine you are that first adventurous soul, and that all the hikers in the future will be grateful for a marked trail. The more you confront resistance to new things, the easier it gets.

Read!

Reading is the best way to gain new perspectives, think differently, learn how others struggle and thrive, and expand your ideas of what’s possible. I think of reading as a tree, with the reader moving from branch to branch. You start with one book, then based on what you learn, you read another book, and soon, you’re reading four or five books at a time, as I often am.

Novels, essays, memoirs, poetry collections, blog posts, magazine stories, newspapers and articles — read it all. If you’re going to start your lifelong learning journey anywhere, do it by choosing something to read.

Know that physical health is mental health

Anyone who knows me personally knows that health and wellness is my passion, because when I feel my best, I am my best. There’s a holistic aspect to lifelong learning: How you do one thing is how you do everything. The better you take care of yourself (eating right, sleeping well, getting regular exercise), the better you’ll perform mentally.

Understand how your environment — online and off — matters

You can’t fill a house with your furniture if the previous owner’s furniture is still there, right? That applies to lifelong learning. You have to declutter your work environment and your mind to make room for the new you. Cleaning your workspace, and priming it for productivity, will remove distractions and help form a lasting connection in your mind. It says, “ Cleaning my workspace means learning.”

Every night before I go to bed, I ask myself, “ What do I want my morning to be?” and in the morning, I tell myself, “ Get up and do.” The period before work benefits from rituals.

Look at lifelong learning as a way of life, not a one-off activity

Becoming a lifelong learner doesn’t mean turning your life upside down overnight. Start with small, simple and gradual changes, like being more conscious of how you spend your time. Rather than scrolling on social media over breakfast, read a long-form article you’ve saved.

Listen to a productivity podcast instead of music or watch a documentary about a business innovator instead of sitcom reruns. Have a coffee chat with someone whose career path you admire, rather than a drink with a co-worker who enables your unhealthiest habits. Over time, micro-changes become macro-habits.

In these unprecedented times, embrace more time with yourself

The isolation brought about by the pandemic can prompt productive questions. What do you want to learn? What skills do you want to improve? What’s something you should do more of because it will bring you joy?

The pandemic hasn’t stopped you from answering and acting on any of these questions. Think about how good it will feel to emerge from the pandemic with a new skill or a new area of knowledge.

In our lifelong learning series, we’ll explore productive habits and how to apply a lifelong learning mindset to the areas of life you value most: your education, your family and your career. UOPX students never stop learning. Ready to learn something new? Explore our degree programs. See how one U.S. Army veteran returned to school after active duty.

Originally published at https://news.phoenix.edu.