Making the most of self-directed learning

I still remember how in my childhood every book release provoked excitement and eagerness to read something new. At that time the governing rule was: the more you read the smarter you are. However, in small countries, like my home country Bulgaria, one's knowledge was limited by the available on the market literature. But then came the Internet. The access to this huge body of information was even more exciting to the extent of overwhelming. There was a point in my life when I was trying to reach out every available article, model, tool or whatever in my field - Human Resources Development. I was spending hours in searching, downloading, saving and categorizing files. Mission Impossible! It didn't take me long to come to that conclusion. It was official: nobody can read and learn everything that is of interest to him. This insight could possibly lead to frustration, as it did to me. However, there is an antidote and it is called self-directed learning. Here are some strategies on how to leverage it in order to achieve sustainable personal and professional growth.

It all comes down to your purpose in life

What is your dream for your life? How do you imagine your ideal self one year from now? Where do you want to be? These are just a few questions that can stimulate you to reflect on your own life purpose. Being fully aware of your passions and conscious about what you really want to do in your life is the first step toward leveraging self-directed learning in pursue of a fulfilling life. Channel your learning to serve your passions and interests.

Discover what your learning style is

We are all different and we all learn in a different way. Ask yourself: How do I learn best? Is it from my personal experience? Or from my observations of others doing what I want to do? Or maybe from reading and thinking on what I read? Or do I just go out, do what I want to do and by practice find the best way to do it? David Kolb introduced the learning theory which suggests that learning is cyclical process that has four distinct stages: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation. Click here if you want to learn more about Kolb's learning styles.The existing research suggests that every individual feels better on certain points of this cycle. It is worth taking few minutes to reflect on where you stand on this curve.

Find the sources that are a match to your style

Once you have channeled your hunger or learning and you have become fully aware of how you learn best, it is time to find your sources for learning. For example, if you are looking for a graduate degree and you are somewhere on the thinking side of the learning cycle, you might want to check some more traditional schools based predominantly on lecturing and research. On the contrary, if you are a Do-er, then you better look for program that emphasizes project assignments, role plays, and active in-class participation. And don't forget the web! There is so much you can find here: LinkedIn groups, online communities, newsletters, professional organizations, forums, webinars, colleges, blogs and so much more. They all are a huge source of information and again you can pick those that match your learning style. Plus, many of them are free of charge.

Keep your learning realistic

Don't forget to be realistic about how much learning you can handle. It's not a good idea to sign up for too many newsletters or to become a member of too many online groups or communities. You can come to a point where you receive on a daily basis so many emails and links, that you just start deleting them without taking the learning opportunity. Find out what works best for you and stick to it.

 

Reassess periodically
Reassessment should be part of your self-directed learning. Try to take some time twice a year for reflection. Here are some questions to use as a starting point. Is what I am doing supporting my learning? Do I feel comfortable about my learning progress? Is my learning helping me to get where I want to be? If you are stuck with your learning, go through the steps again to help you find a way out. If you feel you need to change something, do it - go with your gut!

Self direct your learning and enjoy the comfort of growing as the person and the professional you want to be! 

Find more information about self-directed learning here:
Tool, Techniques, and Resources for the Self-Directed Learner 
Self-Directed Learning in the Workplace