5 things I've learned about learning

 Hello Steemit! My name is Pratham (Pratt). I am a 20-year-old entrepreneur, student and designer from Mumbai, India. This is my first post. I thought of starting by looking back at the acquisition of my skills through experience, teaching myself and being taught. I present to you 5 things I’ve learned about learning, through my journey- 

1. There’s no “right way” to start

I’ve been a procrastinator myself. In fact, I still transition in and out of that state. The best excuse to not get started a master procrastinator can possibly fashion is that he or she is waiting for the right way to start. For instance, I told my friends I cannot start working out because my apartment building’s free gym is substandard and I’d save up for a good one, but it’s really not as bad and you can always workout anywhere should you be willing to (also, I didn’t really need to save up). In a similar way, we hesitate to start something and wait for everything to be perfect so we can do it ‘right’, denying ourselves the progress we could have made all that while. The number of times I’ve learned a technology or method for the first time after getting paid to do it (as a designer) is just crazy. The motivating factor there was the monetary compensation of course, but the point is that it didn’t take much doing to accomplish something I thought of before as a puzzling, elaborate task. So once you just delve right into the scheme of things, it doesn’t matter if you aren’t doing it right, you’re still making progress and in the process, learning how to do it right!

2. Teaching helps you learn more

I’ve always been intrigued by the questions children can ask, which more often than not are so profound; not to them, but to us. Not only children, but adults learning something for the first time have the ability to come up with such questions. Preparing for these questions injects a certain scrutiny in the way you pursue the topic. The question asked could be completely ridiculous or perhaps even change your perspective on the topic. It is this surprise which makes teaching a greater learning curve for you than the student. 

 3. Learning by doing works every time

Grabbing insight from the first point, where I stressed on delving right into it, one must also ask- into what? Make it a goal to emulate an industry benchmark through your learning process. If you get there, you’re right up there with everyone else at that instant, you’ve managed to craft something amazing and exhibited your prowess in it by actually doing it. If you’re a designer, try to replicate some of the greatest logos of all times, or model your first website on an existing one to see if you have it in you to do what people are paying for.

4. Learning is independent

A good teacher indeed is instrumental helping develop a solid grasp of a certain topic but at the core, the fascination that a good teacher can induce hinges on your wanting. You’re responsible for that switch ‘on’ and ‘off’ mechanism you associate with interests as well as subjects you hate. So all in all, learning is a very personal unique process for every individual that’s governed by the affinity you possess towards the topic.  

 

 5. Unlearn, and go back to the basics every day

I attended a spiritual workshop in India once. Introductions were in order, the class had only begun and one of the students asked the guru, “Could you just let us know what we’re going to learn in this class?”, almost in an ungracious tone. To this, he simply smiled and said with all the sapience he could muster, “My dear, I’m not sure about learning but you will most certainly unlearn.” Unlearning, has more to do with wisdom than knowledge or intelligence.

" He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever " - Chinese Proverb