Remove Irrational Barriers: Gagan Biyani Speaks About Being a Lifelong Learner
CEO and co-founder Gagan Biyani talks about how learning can become a lifelong habit.
By Tremis Skeete, for Product Coalition
In our so called modern world today, there are still many able-bodied people who still don’t know how to use the internet, send an email, or use an iPhone. To be fair, these technologies have only been around for over 30 to 40 years, so it’s understandable to an extent that many adults haven’t updated their knowledge in regard to these technologies.
However, what is rather concerning is the rising trend of a resistance towards self-teaching. Many claim that they can’t do it, or they just don’t have the time. Others resign to the idea that they can’t learn new things, or they’ve rationalized in themselves that they’ve learned all they needed to know; And others — they are afraid to learn, because they are afraid to fail.
Gagan Biyani, co-founder of the online course provider Udemy, feels that thoughts and feelings comparable to what I’ve mentioned above, can change for the better.
Gagan believes that learning is a choice, and if you feel that you can’t learn something new — you’re in fact, putting an “irrational barrier” as he describes it, between you and your potential for longevity.
It’s tempting to believe that once you leave the education system and enter the world of work — that there’s no time to learn new knowledge and skills. If this is something you believe, then you are selling yourself very short.
Learning is all about relating the world around you as it changes, so if you want to live in a world where you feel little or no fear — then take charge of your fear, and choose to practice learning something new.
Make learning a lifelong habit. Your wellbeing will thank you for it.
Read a copy of Gagan’s LinkedIn post below to learn more:
To be successful, you can’t be a one-time learner. You can’t stop learning in college or when you’re done with school.
You have to be a lifelong learner… Here are some keys to lifelong learning I’ve picked up over the years:
1. Interest. Motivation is the #1 factor in learning. If you don’t care, you won’t get anywhere. To improve your motivation, tie your learning goals to objectives — a raise, better job security, improved personal satisfaction, saving time, etc.
2. Multiple sources and styles. There was a really silly trend where people felt like they were binary learners. “I’m an auditory learner” or “I’m a kinesthetic learner.” I don’t believe in that. I think you have to learn via multiple inputs and you should give yourself many opportunities to learn a skill. Follow someone awesome on LinkedIn, read a book on the subject, practice it in the workplace, take an online course. Do multiple things to help it sink in — each will have its own impact on you.
3. Diversity. Being obsessed with one subject area — work, music, art, Excel — might be tempting, but it is also highly counterproductive. There are some savants who can focus on just one thing and be successful in life, but for the vast majority of people you need multiple talents to succeed. You are the intersection of the various skills you acquire.
4. New skills. I was 25 when I started playing basketball. I had never played in a league growing up, so I was extremely bad. I realized that sooo many of my friends thought this was weird: why are you playing basketball? You suck at it. I was truly the worst player on the court for months. Somehow, most people stop learning new things when they become an adult. Instead, I learned and 2 years later I was an average player on my time. Having no fear about learning new things has served me throughout my life, and I’d recommend not putting irrational barriers between you and what you choose to learn.
5. Focus. At any given time, you can probably only learn 2–3 new skills. Don’t try to boil the ocean — pick a few things at a time and really focus on them. Going deep in a few areas will dramatically improve your rate of learning, and allow you to appreciate the depth of your new skill. Once you’ve achieved intermediate or advanced level in the skill, feel free to move onto something else!
Don’t be a one-time learner. Make learning a habit you do constantly. The more comfortable you are with it, the more longevity you’ll have in life and in your career.
