7 1/2 Habits of Successful Lifelong Learning...

Seven and a half habits of Successful Lifelong Learning...

Isn't most of this taught to us when we were younger? You always had habit #1 in mind--the goal (to learn more, and finally succeed until we graduated high school and/or college.) Then as children, most of us had habit #2 drilled into us, (grades were the best way to gauge how much we learned or how focused we were on the subject. Futher we were initally responsible for our own learning. This by asking questions in class, doing homework or even now while at work--asking questions, being trained to learn new skills and etc.)

Habit #3 that one is a beast all it's own at times. Something I had a problem with at one time--Viewing problems as challenges. When I had a problem, I used to view it as simply that--a problem. Something that needed to be solved. Somehow that changed as I grew older--that it turned into a challenge, something to be conquered or defeated. As much of a problem solver that I have grown to be, I changed my mentality in dealing with them... I made it a challenge and thus made me a bit more successful in reaching a solution. This made that problem a bit more satisfying to solve.

Habits #4 and #5 seem to go hand in hand in a way. Over time, I have developed the confidence to be an effective learner, but I also learned that I to create a "toolbox". Unfortunately, my "toolbox" is an intangible item. I can't readily describe it, but it does include a lot of patience and perserverance. Using that with relavant logic and intellect within the given situation, helps my learning along.

Habits #6 and #7 simply became a permanent part of who I am as a person, for example... Most everyone knows that in my division they know they can come to me with a tech problem, a tech gadget, or come to me with a question that is tech related. For the last eighteen years I have been around computers, the internet and other gadgets that makes our lives easier. I have found myself both in and outside of work sharing what I have learned with others. Although there is still a lot out there I have yet to experience myself, I am confident that I will at some time and finally learn and share that with others. It's fun to make those connections and share what I know. But if there is something that's new, I also know who to go to for more information on that--if I can't find out about it online, there are people I call upon as well. I like it that way. That way the learning and sharing continues.

And finally the last part... Playing.
Who doesn't play? In this life, you got to play. You got to try out new things and see how it works for you. You only live once. So I encourage all those that read this today, to go and find something new and play with it. See what you can learn from it, how you like it--and how much you enjoyed playing. You never know, you might just learn and play.

--ThunderChyld