Learning Archives - Scott's Thinking

Learning A New Skill

Posted on February 28, 2021

It can take some time and energy to learn a new skill. A lot of thinking goes into this endeavour. Learning a new skill is often a longer journey than anticipated.

First you have to decide you are going to do it. Then you need to build in some decent frequency and consistency. And you have to fit this into your day somewhere. Given you are like most people, there will be little time for this type of thing. You may have to kick something out of your schedule.

Where to learn the new skill is one thing. Who will give the best material and support. Do you simply need a brochure? Or is a book more relevant to what you are trying to do? For some people and certain circumstances, a book will be enough. Then again, maybe a short webinar will provide enough information. Other people will want a team or a mastermind to be involved. Finally a course or a series of one-to-one sessions might be the most desirable or simply required.

Then you need to put in the pushups. No one can do the learning for you. You have to put the work in and make these new habits fit in your schedule.

Learning a new skill is rarely easy. Though it is simple and highly beneficial.

Observe Think About It

Like Minded People

Posted on January 27, 2021

This is what we are all looking for. We want to find people we can relate to. Those people that think like us are golden. Like minded people make life easier. We don’t need to think. We can just float together.

This is an awesome experience. We can talk for hours with like minded people. We feel good about the experience. There is a flow to the conversation. We speak the same language. The words we select are from the same patch. And the order and tone we use is so simple and totally fluid.

It is easy to lull ourselves into a false sense of security that everyone thinks like us. Then someone uses a word that isn’t from our patch. Or the tone dips instead of rises. Occasionally we notice the words are positioned in an odd order to our expectations. Screech! Hand brake. What was that?

We pick up on these subtle nuances. There is a sense something is a little off but we may not be able to put our finger on it. Our backs get arched a tiny bit as we prepare to switch to defence. Who is the infiltrator, the odd one out? Why are they here? I hope they don’t bring their like minded people into this chilled oasis.

Comfort versus thinking and learning…

Action Observe Progress Reframe your thoughts

Learning While Teaching

Posted on November 13, 2020

Learning something is good. Being able to convey that knowledge to someone else is brilliant. Learning while teaching a skill or subject is possibly the highest form of engaged interaction.

I’ve heard good teachers, speakers and sports personalities refer to how much they learn while sharing their knowledge or skill. It is an interesting aspect of life. By giving someone the benefit of our experience, knowledge or skill, not only will they gain, but we gain as well.

However, we may only gain if we are paying attention and open to learning. If we assume we are only providing information, we may miss the opportunity to receive feedback loops of learning.

It takes a certain skill to transfer knowledge from yourself to someone else. Not everyone is good at it, though it can be learned. Though while you are transferring that knowledge, you can also reassess how you learned, understood or integrated that knowledge. During this process, you may look at things in a new light. Perhaps new experiences, thoughts or information will impact your perception and adjust your mindset.

Although it can be quite difficult to be confronted with new points of view, it is beneficial to grasp those moments. If there was only one best way and one right answer, we would all know it by now.

Learning while teaching is a worthwhile skill to develop.