Learning Something New

As I get older, I find that learning something new seems harder.

And I don’t think it’s because I’ve lost the intellectual capacity to learn.

It’s because I’m not always willing to do the work.

That’s the honest answer.

Most of the time, I simply don’t want to work that hard.

Learning anything new can feel like learning a new language.

If you’ve ever tried to learn another language as an adult, you know exactly what I mean. You can memorize vocabulary. You can use an app. You can take a class.

But then someone actually speaks the language to you, and suddenly you’re standing there thinking, Wait . . . what did they just say?

The best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in the culture where it’s spoken. Live there. Hear it every day. Use it every day.

Of course, that takes time, money, and a willingness to completely immerse yourself in the experience.

And that’s really what learning anything new requires.

Immersion.

Effort.

Follow-through.

And that brings me to something I think is more important than learning a new language.

It’s learning something about yourself.

Specifically, how much effort are you really willing to put into learning something new?

There are people who want to try everything. They get excited about one new thing after another.

Until they discover how much work is involved.

Then the excitement disappears.

If that sounds familiar, maybe the answer isn’t to give up on learning something new. Maybe it’s to become more selective about what you choose to learn.

Look at the things you want to do and ask yourself:

Which of these really matters to me?

Not, “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

I mean, really matters.

Because there’s a big difference between a “nice to have” aspiration and an “I’ve got to have this” desire.

And the stronger the desire, the more likely you are to put in the work when things get difficult.

That may be the real secret to learning something new.

Not having more time.

Not having more ability.

Not even having a better learning program.

It’s wanting it badly enough to keep going when the novelty wears off and the work begins.

Only you know what you’re willing to work for.

So maybe it’s time to whittle down that list of things you’d like to learn and find the one that really grabs your attention.

Then give it your effort.

And, most importantly, follow through.

All the best,

John