As cash registers speedily ring up #2 pencils and file folders, the back to school craze is officially in high gear. Last minute haircuts, wardrobe enhancements, and new lunchboxes help ring in this time of year when students prepare to learn. New courses, new teachers, new classrooms, new possibility. The back to school ritual signifies the transition from recovery to engagement; from rest to growth.
Doesn’t it make you wonder why we adults don’t have something similar?
Large groups of grownups turn the learning off when they complete their formal educations. Others rely on companies or bosses to instill the insights, solely looking at education as a means to an end. Instead, what if we borrowed from the back to school season and sent ourselves back to the chalkboard in order to achieve more, deliver more, and win more?
Each of us can take charge or our own learning and development. Just as middle schoolers study a subject for a finite time period, we can establish similar practices such as a learning topic of the month. Or perhaps we dedicate 90-day sprints on specific areas of learning, challenging ourselves to read, watch, and listen to as much subject matter as we can to elevate our expertise.
Let’s have some fun as we define our own learning objectives, self-study curriculum, and testing procedures. The content can be a mix of TED-talks, blogs, articles, whitepapers, demos, discussion groups, or interactive games. Unlike the rigidity of traditional schooling, we can craft our own learning experiences to be full of energy, agility, and inspiration. We can schedule our own summer vacations or holiday breaks, but there should never be a whole school year without a deliberate learning game plan. In today’s highly competitive world, the responsibility of learning must fall squarely on each of us in order to meet the challenges of the day.
In the season of open minds, let’s open ourselves up for new ideas, experiences, and education. Committing to lifelong learning – followed by a structured plan of attack – can be the difference-maker in helping you win and soar.
Back to learning. Back to Growth. Back to School.