Learning begins with self awareness

I’ve learnt a few things about myself over the years that have greatly helped me learn better.

1. I need a coach. I lean towards the attention deficit side of the spectrum and need coaches to help me focus. I do not have the capability to be self taught. If I taught myself a skill, I’d miss the important aspects. I spent a few months trying to teach myself the guitar in university. But, I invested in a teacher last year and it made all the difference in the world. I’ve since made “finding coaches” a habit.

2. You don’t need a high IQ to get good in most things. Learning most things is hardly dependent on IQ. Sure, a high IQ helps but getting good requires other sorts of traits – tenacity, grit, willpower, openness and a willingness to ask for help. And you know what’s amazing about these skills right? They can all be developed.

3. I need to teach and share. I learn very well when I need to teach and share. I’ve attempted to create systems to be able to do that via this blog, the weekend book learning initiative, and The Bookbytes project.

There are a few other learnings but these are probably the 3 most important ones. Admitting to myself that I am not capable of being self taught when I have a close friend who seems to do it with ease wasn’t easy. Neither was it easy to admit that I was failing on my expectations on willpower. But it helped. Learning isn’t easy. We pay lip service to the idea too often. That doesn’t mean it isn’t doable. It can done and made into a habit.

It just begins with self awareness.