Commit to Lifelong Learning

In the last podcast episode: Become a Learning Nomad – Ground Ourselves in a Fluid Working Terrain, we asked a question:

What is the required learning framework we should equip to provide the necessary flexibility and resiliency in an ever-changing working context?

We argued that if we want to build the necessary flexibility and resiliency in an ever-changing working context, we need a learning framework. This framework applies to our life-long learning. This lifelong learning framework will keep us growing and improving no matter what challenges are ahead of us. We propose to use the metaphor of a Learning Nomad to construct our lifelong learning framework.

A Learning Nomad embraces the belief that learning is:

• A lifelong commitment to growth.

• An exploration of the unknown.

• A refusal to settle where no learning can take place.

Learning is an exploration of unknown terrain, discovery of familiar culture, and interaction of unmet people to:

• Grow our Knowledge

• Transform our Experience

• Evolve our Skills

• Build our Learning Network

These are the 4 concepts in the podcast episode. These 4 concepts form the 4 pillars of a Learning Nomadic Tent – where people can gather and share ideas to form a learning community.

Today, let’s expand on the metaphor of nomadic life to outline a lifelong learning framework that can guide us on this journey.

1. Set Your Learning Compass

Many people say you need to define your goals and plan your journey. But when we come to plan our life-long learning, we may feel overwhelmed and struggle with defining our goal. We don’t know what we can achieve if we keep learning. In other words, we don’t know the ROI of life-long learning.

Learning Nomad never knows where is their next spot when they are departing from the current one. What Learning Nomad knows is what they lack.

You may not know your goal of learning, at least in the beginning. The self-awareness of what you are lacking is your compass. Stay humble and stay curious. Your learning compass will show you the true north.

2. Build Your Learning Map

A map provides context and helps navigate the terrain ahead. While there’s no ready-made map for lifelong learning because it’s a journey into an uncertain future

It may scare you. But we have a method to build our learning map even if the future is unknown.

Your learning map is built from your past. Here is the why.

Who you are now is constituted by what you have done or not done in the past. You are not a baby. Your learning journey does not start from scratch. Spend time to look back to your past. Imagine you the playwright of your life script. Discover what is missing in the script and find out the learning gaps. These learning gaps have to be filled in to form a compelling life story.

Let your self-reflection drive the map-building process.

If you find it daunting, start small by reflecting on the past year. Ask yourself what have you done. And equally important, what you have not done due to your commitment to what you have done.

Write them down and find the gaps that you need to fill in this year. It is a short-term Learning Map.

3. Explore, Observe and Experiment

Your learning strategy is to keep discovering what you are lacking and fill in the learning gaps on the learning map. Take small steps to start learning. Your steps will leave footprints on your learning map that create a bigger picture of your life script.

Be flexible along the way. Your job is to stay focused on accumulating small bits of knowledge and experience. Learning Nomad does not exactly know where they are going. They focus on the process of navigating the terrain and observe any opportunity to settle.

Once the journey starts, the Learning Nomad will continue the exploration until they find the next settlement. It is a commitment to pursuing a better version of yourself.

Adopt a mindset of constant curiosity. See every experience as an opportunity to gain insights and skills, whether it’s a formal course, a challenging project, or a conversation with a mentor. Try new fields, methods, or tools, even if they seem unrelated to your primary goals. The nomad’s journey often leads to unexpected outcomes.

When you encounter obstacles, reflect and recalibrate. Every mistake is a stepping stone to deeper understanding.

4. Share and Tell Your Story

As you start your life-long learning journey, you are writing your life script. A script is not a script if you do not intend to share and tell your story to anyone. There are 4 benefits if you share and tell your life-long learning journey as a story to a larger group of audience.

First, it is a self-reflection process. This process helps you read your story with a fresh eye. Every time you retell your story. You may gain new insights.

Second, it is a commitment. When you tell your learning story to your audience, you are committed to a life-long learning journey. The audience will have expectations of you which will fuel you for the next step.

Third, it is a collaborative learning. Through the sharing process, you can gain feedback, new perspectives and new knowledge to grow. Like a nomad visiting new tribes, embrace diverse perspectives. Learn from people in different fields, cultures, and experiences to broaden your worldview.

Fourth, you will earn companions. You may be alone at the beginning of the journey. Once you share and tell your story to a group of audience, you will discover that many people share your thoughts. You can find your companion on the journey and build your learning coalition.

5. Evaluate to Elevate

The Learning Nomad’s journey is flexible and resilient. It will never be static.

You may encounter hurdles or setbacks along the way. You may think that it is the wrong direction. But Learning Nomad treats each challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow. Even when the path ahead seems to be a dead end. Learning Nomad believes that there will be another door opened so that you can get through.

The new door may need to a new direction. Learning Nomad evaluates to elevate. They focus on the process and evaluate the outcomes. The evaluation process will open another door for the next step.

Learning Nomad is a commitment to lifelong learning. What’re you waiting for? What’s holding you back?