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Learning for life

Tips from lifelong learning experts on how to embark on a mission of lifelong learning

So what are you waiting for? Here are some tips from lifelong learning experts on how to embark on a mission of lifelong learning:

1.  The “To-Learn” List: Create a “to-learn” list for all the things you wished you knew. Maybe it’s a class on faux painting from the Home Depot or a course about the poetry of Pablo Neruda. Think of it as a wish list for your brain and soul. And don’t be surprised that once you learn one thing you will be ready to move on to the next. Learning is habit forming.

2.  Pick up a book: It’s that simple. Always have a book that you are reading. It doesn’t matter if it takes a week to read it or a year. You can take it to work, use it to fill in the gaps between appointments, or keep it at your bedside for nighttime reading.

3.  Take a class: There are so many classes to take that range from one hour, one day, or several weeks or months. Classes can be taken at neighborhood community centers, city parks and recreation facilities, community colleges or universities. With the internet, there are now countless of online classes available in nearly every imaginable subject.

4.  The power of more than one: If a formal class proves to be too much, start or join a group. The possibilities are endless – book clubs, knitting clubs, writing groups, cooking clubs, etc. The beauty of a group is that anyone can form a group at any time and at any place – and you can cap the size of the group. Groups tend to be more informal. If you can’t make it to one meeting, there is always the next one.

5.  Practice what you learn: You’ve taken the class (or been part of a fulfilling group), now apply what you have learned. You can teach what you have learned to others. You can show off your new knowledge on a blog. If you have studied painting, try picking up a brush. If you’ve learned how to play an instrument, then play for your friends. Lifelong learning also implies displaying and using your new knowledge.

6.  Keep a journal: Learning doesn’t have to be limited to a class or reading or studying other people’s work. Set your thoughts loose with a journal. The challenge is to be consistent. Set aside a specific time of the day or week to write. Then start writing about anything and everything.

7.  Start a project: Find a project you don’t know anything about and set out to complete it. You’ll be forced to learn about it in the process. What about building a brick patio? Or a community vegetable garden? Or starting an activist organization?

8.  Fifteen minutes: Devote 15 minutes of your day to learning. The time can be used to read a book or write in a journal. You also could surf the Web for information about an interesting topic. Or use the time to work on a new project or to practice new skills.