For years I have been a passive learner. Today, I read/listen to books, listen to podcasts, watch TED talks, and YouTube videos and more all to satisfy my desire to learn. This kind of passive learning has only gotten me so far. Why is it that I can’t seem to unlock greater learning and insight with this approach?
Pondering upon this question has led me to my mantra for teaching and learning:
Invite to Act
When I have read books or listened to podcasts I have felt I’m getting smarter and more educated but when I fail to act, fail to take action with my new found knowledge or insight it disappears and doesn’t become a part of me. When I identify something specific that I can do, I’ve found my learning becomes deeper and insights are richer and longer lasting.
I’m a visual learner so I created a graphic to illustrate how this works.
What is also great about this approach of acting is it gives me the space and time to judge whether this is something I want to pursue in my learning and development.
Try it out. Next time you are learning something, pick a specific action to apply what you are learning. I’d love to hear your results.
