How to Learn More Effectively

If I recollect the experience of learning bicycle as a child, the first thing that comes to mind are those nasty falls and bruised knees. Soon thereafter, the exhilaration of riding freely took over. Like all significant learning, it was difficult in the beginning before practice turned it easy.

Effective learners know that ambiguity and discomfort is a part of the learning process.

Here is a reason why this is important – We want our learning efforts to serve us in the long run. That kind of deep learning doesn’t happen when we simply consume insights.

It happens when we blend insights we consume with our own life experiences, apply our learning into a context to solve important problems and as a result, derive understanding of the governing principles. Through the lens of our experience, we learn the nuances of executing these principles in various contexts through specific practices, techniques and timing. We generate new learning through the cycles of awareness, execution, outcomes and reflection.

Effective Learning comes from performing and reflecting, not just consuming.

So next time you feel cozy and comfortable learning something new, ask yourself these questions:

• Is this learning going to serve me in long run?
• Is it significant?
• Am I doing it right?
• Can I contextually apply what I am learning to gain better understanding?

In this context, here is a revised #sketchnote on ways to become an effective learner. The original sketchnote was posted in 2016 here.

If I recollect the experience of learning bicycle as a child, the first thing that comes to mind are those nasty falls and bruised knees. Soon thereafter, the exhilaration of riding freely took over. Like all significant learning, it was difficult in the beginning before practice turned it easy.

Effective learners know that ambiguity and discomfort is a part of the learning process.

Here is a reason why this is important – We want our learning efforts to serve us in the long run. That kind of deep learning doesn’t happen when we simply consume insights.

It happens when we blend insights we consume with our own life experiences, apply our learning into a context to solve important problems and as a result, derive understanding of the governing principles. Through the lens of our experience, we learn the nuances of executing these principles in various contexts through specific practices, techniques and timing. We generate new learning through the cycles of awareness, execution, outcomes and reflection.

Effective Learning comes from performing and reflecting, not just consuming.

So next time you feel cozy and comfortable learning something new, ask yourself these questions:

• Is this learning going to serve me in long run?
• Is it significant?
• Am I doing it right?
• Can I contextually apply what I am learning to gain better understanding?

In this context, here is a revised #sketchnote on ways to become an effective learner. The original sketchnote was posted in 2016 here.