Lifelong learning is an ongoing commitment to learning. This requires developing a system that provides a person with opportunities to explore new ideas and experiment with new methodologies. It is a learning system that integrates a person’s own personal experiences, to include reading, observing, and listening.
Of critical importance to lifelong learning is a person’s ability to keep their mind open to those teachable points that may occur at the most unexpected times and places. Perhaps it is a magazine article that is particularly insightful, or perhaps it is a recently attended seminar, or even an idea from a colleague. The key here is to be aware of such teachable points and not only learn from them but act on them.
Lifelong learning is a classroom without walls or desks, without report cards, and without grades. You are the student and teacher. Here, you have the benefit of being able to spend your time learning those teachable points important to you, and you do so whenever you want to learn and at whatever pace you choose.
But in order for lifelong learning to be successful you must dedicate time to learning, and put a system in place that nurtures your learning. Also, you must commit to curiosity by exploring strange and new ideas, by asking questions of others, by reading articles, by simply listening to others and asking for their opinions.
Seek out teachable points and expand your world.
