“I don’t want to learn to be better,” is something we rarely admit.
We don’t say:
I don’t want to learn statistics, even though it will dramatically improve my decision making.
I don’t want to learn a new programming language, even though it will get me a better job.
I don’t want to learn methods for creativity, strategy or marketing, even though they will help me get unstuck.
I don’t want to learn how AI will transform my work, even though it will make me more productive.
I don’t want to learn how to use the shortcuts on my apps, even though it will save me time.
I don’t want to learn basic selling skills, even though they will help me make a difference.
I don’t want to understand what happened decades ago, even though it will help me be a better citizen.
All of these things (and many more) are now easily learned, for free, online, with no peer pressure.
But we hesitate. We hesitate because:
- Learning requires effort
- Once we learn something, we might have to change our mind
- Changing our mind shifts how we see the world, and that can be unsettling
- Change feels risky
There are countless things I’d like to learn, but if I’m being honest, my problem is that I don’t care enough to do the work.
The most difficult part of adult learning is choosing to learn.