What is lifelong learning
There is no standard definition of the term. But from what I have collected on the Internet, it is best described as:
- an acquisition of new skills and capabilities well past formal education years
- an ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons
- things you learn for yourselves, not for someone else. They reflect on what you are passionate about and what you envision for your own future
- things that genuinely interest you even if you never enjoyed school
What are lifelong learners like?
- curious
- open-minded with a positive attitude
- have a growth mindset
- constantly and actively looking for opportunities to grow by expanding their knowledge
- like reading books, learning new skills, and honing one’s expertise
- agile and adaptable
- challenge themselves with specific goals
- believe it’s never too late to start something
It’s good for your career
- curiosity and a growth mindset invite future possibilities
- curiosity is a “hidden force that drives learning, critical thinking, and reasoning” throughout our lives
- soft skills are the critical skills for success
- employers now shop for workers based on skills rather than official qualifications because of increased digitalization and globalization
- creates a personal brand that stands for dynamic need fulfillment
- enhances existing skills to make current tasks easier or more efficient
- genuine skill growth can open doors to new roles and responsibilities
- develops cross-disciplinary awareness that makes it easier to uncover unexpected connections for pattern recognition and intuitive thinking
- lets you remain agile, adaptable and ready to fill the next organizational gap
It’s good for your personal life
- learning something new and enjoyable makes your life richer
- changing your mindset gives you the flexibility to follow your curiosity and may lead to opportunities you would never have otherwise thought of
- improve your self-confidence
- reduce boredom, and make life more interesting
What happens if you stop learning
- disinterest in learning how to advance your usefulness translates into disinterest in helping your employer
Will we be replaced by robots?
- it is said that automation is predicted to replace 50% of jobs by 2025
- while the exact numbers are something we cannot definitively declare, the technological changes underway will create more jobs in different sectors
How to be a good lifelong learner
- be like a child and always ask why
- seek counter opinions and acknowledge alternative viewpoints
- learn more from different perspectives and push yourself further
- embrace failure and be proactive about asking for feedback and help
- teach others to deepen your understanding and learn what you don’t know
- e-learning can be just as useful as more traditional methods