The learning process is an interesting thing. Some only learn by reading and rereading textbooks until they know them off by heart. Others, like one of my friends, learn only by understanding a theory, and they are unable to memorise different terms and definitions.
I sometimes think I have an extremely short attention span, but then again maybe some speakers do not know how to capture my attention. Growing up, there were only a few classes or lectures that I longed to attend and was actually able to concentrate on for the whole time I was there.
Now why am I talking about classrooms and lecturers, and why is that relevant to business? Actually it is very relevant, because growing and succeeding in business goes hand in hand with learning.
I am quite different to others when it comes to learning. I am interested in the most valuable content not what you can learn in a traditional classroom setting with a projector screen, a white board, and a hardbound notebook and sleek pen in hand.
In my short experience, I have found that the best lessons to be learnt, and the ones that have helped me grow in both my career and business, come “after official meetings”, in the lift, over a quiet coffee with a successful entrepreneur or by reading different articles in the waiting rooms of clinics.
Since starting my career four years ago, I have been on three or four short courses. These included an introduction to investments and learning my way around a computer programme. I’ve forgotten most of what I learnt at that investment class, as well as most tricks and shortcuts for the programme.
But the most important lessons that have helped me develop are engraved in my mind and happened in the not-so-traditional learning settings. I will share my favourites:
For instance, there was an interesting article I read about habits shared by successful people. These included waking up an hour earlier before everyone else; this nugget of advice has really helped boost my productivity level. I set my alarm an hour earlier and not only did I have time to read and exercise before going to work, but I was able to get routine tasks out of the way and had more time and energy dedicated to my priorities.
I have also been struggling to find the time to write my novel, finding I was too exhausted after work to get the creative juices flowing. It was a conversation with a good friend that helped me realise when my energy level was at its peak, and to take advantage of that to help me finish my novel. Since I am a morning person, I worked on my novel first thing before my official working hours and in no time I had a first draft.
In another writing-related example, I used to compare myself to the American writer Scott Fitzgerald and confided in a friend about my fear of never being able to emulate his success. It was that conversation that made me wake up and stop comparing myself to others. While it was good to read success stories of people within my field, it was not healthy to put myself down by saying I will never be like any of them, because guess what? I will never be. We are completely different people living in completely different circumstances, and I would not be fair to myself if I did that. I could aspire to be within the league though.
Lastly, I now realise I do not have to wait for a course to expand my learning horizon. I look for learning opportunities every day, such as asking a successful person in their field about what made them successful. I read and read and read. I cannot stress the importance of reading enough. I get out of my comfort zone and explore new things. If I fail after trying something new, then at least I learnt that it was not meant for me. If I succeed, then I have opened a new door for myself.
I also network with like-minded people and attend as many seminars and learning workshops that I can, because it is there, at these events, that the real learning occurs and where new opportunities are born.
When it comes to learning, there is no one place to do so. If you open your mind, you will see that learning is a continuous process that takes place all the time, and everywhere, and perhaps the most valuable lessons were learnt in non-traditional settings.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer based in Abu Dhabi. Follow her on Twitter: @manar_alhinai
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