How to get better at something!
In Boston for a little bit of work and a little bit of play and what better place to film than the Boston Public Library!
It’s absolutely magnificent. I filmed in the Children’s Library section and may or may not have been asked if I was indeed there with any children! I was luckily!
Fun fact: This was the first library anywhere in the world to allow people to take books out of the library home with them – revolutionary at the time!
It’s incredible the plethora of information we have available to us these days, at our fingertips; on our phone, anywhere we look online, TED talks, podcasts… there is sooooo much available to help us learn and grow.
When was the last time you learned something new?
Watch the video to check out how our brains are wired to making learning easy…
Remember when you were a kid, just absorbing everything and somehow getting better, better and better at things without having to ‘think’ about learning?! How to eat, how to walk; how to talk?! Our ability to learn doesn’t stop EVER! (It just feels a little / a lot harder now we’re all grown up!) There is something magnificent called neuroplasticity which is our brains ability to create new neural pathways. But, here’s the thing, we need to help those pathways to form and we need to do it with consistency.
Firstly, we have to decide what we want to learn. What do we want to get better at? What do we want to learn more about? And I mean, consciously choose to learn something.
Maybe it’s something in your personal life like learning a new language or a musical instrument. Or maybe you’ve started a new role or maybe there’s a new system at work, or maybe you want to get better at presenting.
Secondly, really think about what helps you learn? A top tip is to go back to when you were younger and remember what made learning fun and easy. Was it by:
- Watching other people
- Studying with someone else
- Reading books
What is it that helps you?
Thirdly, write down what resources you have. Who and what around you could help you get started? A public library where you can check out a book for free perhaps?!
But most importantly; ask yourself WHY you want to learn that new thing. Is it because someone said you had to? Is it because someone ‘special’ in your life said “I want to learn French and I think you should too”? Whether it’s a ‘have to’ or a ‘should’, you need to establish the why for you, not because someone else said it was a good idea/you needed to.
Why is it important to you? Maybe it’s about career progression. Maybe it’s about proving yourself to a new boss. Maybe it’s about impressing your other half. Find out what that maybe is, and really establish it. Why is it important for you to learn? What’s in it for you?!
I am going to go back to French. Eeek! I used to be fluent (believe it or not!) a long, long, long time ago and I desperately want to be fluent again. Pourquoi I hear you ask ?! Because I would love my kids to speak another language and I can only speak ‘un petit peu’ with them. They’ve grasped the basics…like croissant and pain au chocolat!! It’s time to go a little further!
I’d love to hear what you’re learning about? (Just hit REPLY and make that commitment in writing to me – also a powerful tool for growth!!)
Finally, if no one else tells you today, let me be the one to tell you I’m grateful for you. I believe in your ability to learn new things, and actually enjoy learning! Thank you for letting me be a part of your day and thank you for being a part of my world.
With gratitude,
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