Learning is a Continuous Process - Are you Learning?
Introduction
Most of you will agree with me if I say, "Learning is a Continuous Process," but most of you will come forward to chop my head off if I say that, "Many of us don't learn." Well, that is the truth. According to a survey conducted by Virgin Management Consultancy, 83% of people stop learning after acquiring a Post Graduation or any degree higher than that, and 91.5% of people stop learning after gaining five years of work experience. (Sample size: 53,672 people. Survey conducted in seven major cities in India, Asian countries, USA, UK, Germany, and Australia).
For the purpose of this article, we need to redefine the term "Learning." Reading newspapers, magazines, listening to news, and acquiring degrees are not learning. So, what does learning consist of:
- Application of theory
- Application of reading
- Maturity in thinking and decision-making
- Learning from Mistakes (Not Repeating the Mistakes)
- Learning from experience (Others and Yours)
These things constitute learning. If you are doing any of these things, then you can be called a "Learned Person."
Look at the following incidents
How often do you hear your parents or your elders telling you, "I have seen the world, I don't need to learn from you"?
How often do you see in your office or in professional circles where your boss and your seniors say, "The very fact that I am your boss is proof that I am learned. I don't have to learn from you"?
Sometimes we see something on television, movies, and even in our neighborhood, and we exclaim, "Wow, such a wonderful person, doing such a great thing," but when it comes to application or learning from that incident, we just ignore it.
Sometimes we say something but don't apply it.
Two people might be doing the same thing in the same manner, but when I am doing something, it is right, but if someone else is doing the same thing, he is wrong.
These incidents are enough proof that we don't learn.
Positive and Negative Learning
Learning can be positive and negative. If we see something wrong and adopt it, that is called negative learning, and if we see something good and practice it, that is called positive learning. Let me share a story with you that I read in a magazine.
"There were two brothers. One was nice, doing very well in life and career. He was respected in society and usually appreciated by friends and people around him. His family was very caring and supportive.
On the other hand, his brother, who was also living in the same colony but was not doing very well in life. He was an alcoholic, drug addict, slept around with other females. He used to beat his wife and children and fought with almost everyone.
One day, a few people in the colony thought of asking these two brothers that even though you are born to the same parents, how are you poles apart in your behavior and attitude? They asked the "bad brother," and he replied, "When I was a kid, my father was an alcoholic, used to beat us, and slept around with other ladies. So, of course, I am his son, and hence like this. How can you expect me to be good?" Then these people asked the other brother, the "Good Brother." He said, "When I was a kid, my father was an alcoholic, used to beat us, and slept around with other ladies. But, I thought and decided that I will not do to my family what he did to us."
So, you see learning can be positive as well as negative. It is up to you. What do you want to learn? That reminds me that as the culture is changing in India. People are becoming more open in their attitude, having multiple relations is not an issue, one-night stands, partying, boozing, having a luxurious lifestyle is not new, and we hear the elders say that this generation is becoming western. Why? Why are we taking bad things from their culture? Are they having bad qualities only? Why are we not learning positive things? Those people are more systematic, more process-oriented, less corrupt, more practical, more straightforward. Why can't we learn those things?
Conclusion
You have 25 years of experience; You have numerous degrees; You are working as a CEO in one company; are these reasons big enough to call you a "Learned Person"? No age, no experience, no designation is big enough to stop you from learning. One is expected to learn not only every day but every moment of each day. The day you stop learning is the day you stop living. You can learn from your past experiences, from people around you, from nature, from all the small things that happen around you. Your learning shows in your behavior, your thinking, your reaction to a particular situation, the way you treat your fellow human being.
Just see, are you still learning, or have you stopped learning? Are you a learned person?
Looking forward to your comments and feedback with lots of care and affection,
Sanjeev Sharma
Blog: http://sanjeevhimachali.blogspot.com
Email: ss_himachali@yahoo.com; sanjeev.himachali@gmail.com
From India, Mumbai
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100Introduction
Most of you will agree with me if I say, "Learning is a Continuous Process," but most of you will come forward to chop my head off if I say that, "Many of us don't learn." Well, that is the truth. According to a survey conducted by Virgin Management Consultancy, 83% of people stop learning after acquiring a Post Graduation or any degree higher than that, and 91.5% of people stop learning after gaining five years of work experience. (Sample size: 53,672 people. Survey conducted in seven major cities in India, Asian countries, USA, UK, Germany, and Australia).
For the purpose of this article, we need to redefine the term "Learning." Reading newspapers, magazines, listening to news, and acquiring degrees are not learning. So, what does learning consist of:
- Application of theory
- Application of reading
- Maturity in thinking and decision-making
- Learning from Mistakes (Not Repeating the Mistakes)
- Learning from experience (Others and Yours)
These things constitute learning. If you are doing any of these things, then you can be called a "Learned Person."
Look at the following incidents
How often do you hear your parents or your elders telling you, "I have seen the world, I don't need to learn from you"?
How often do you see in your office or in professional circles where your boss and your seniors say, "The very fact that I am your boss is proof that I am learned. I don't have to learn from you"?
Sometimes we see something on television, movies, and even in our neighborhood, and we exclaim, "Wow, such a wonderful person, doing such a great thing," but when it comes to application or learning from that incident, we just ignore it.
Sometimes we say something but don't apply it.
Two people might be doing the same thing in the same manner, but when I am doing something, it is right, but if someone else is doing the same thing, he is wrong.
These incidents are enough proof that we don't learn.
Positive and Negative Learning
Learning can be positive and negative. If we see something wrong and adopt it, that is called negative learning, and if we see something good and practice it, that is called positive learning. Let me share a story with you that I read in a magazine.
"There were two brothers. One was nice, doing very well in life and career. He was respected in society and usually appreciated by friends and people around him. His family was very caring and supportive.
On the other hand, his brother, who was also living in the same colony but was not doing very well in life. He was an alcoholic, drug addict, slept around with other females. He used to beat his wife and children and fought with almost everyone.
One day, a few people in the colony thought of asking these two brothers that even though you are born to the same parents, how are you poles apart in your behavior and attitude? They asked the "bad brother," and he replied, "When I was a kid, my father was an alcoholic, used to beat us, and slept around with other ladies. So, of course, I am his son, and hence like this. How can you expect me to be good?" Then these people asked the other brother, the "Good Brother." He said, "When I was a kid, my father was an alcoholic, used to beat us, and slept around with other ladies. But, I thought and decided that I will not do to my family what he did to us."
So, you see learning can be positive as well as negative. It is up to you. What do you want to learn? That reminds me that as the culture is changing in India. People are becoming more open in their attitude, having multiple relations is not an issue, one-night stands, partying, boozing, having a luxurious lifestyle is not new, and we hear the elders say that this generation is becoming western. Why? Why are we taking bad things from their culture? Are they having bad qualities only? Why are we not learning positive things? Those people are more systematic, more process-oriented, less corrupt, more practical, more straightforward. Why can't we learn those things?
Conclusion
You have 25 years of experience; You have numerous degrees; You are working as a CEO in one company; are these reasons big enough to call you a "Learned Person"? No age, no experience, no designation is big enough to stop you from learning. One is expected to learn not only every day but every moment of each day. The day you stop learning is the day you stop living. You can learn from your past experiences, from people around you, from nature, from all the small things that happen around you. Your learning shows in your behavior, your thinking, your reaction to a particular situation, the way you treat your fellow human being.
Just see, are you still learning, or have you stopped learning? Are you a learned person?
Looking forward to your comments and feedback with lots of care and affection,
Sanjeev Sharma
Blog: http://sanjeevhimachali.blogspot.com
Email: ss_himachali@yahoo.com; sanjeev.himachali@gmail.com
From India, Mumbai
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Hi Sanjeev,
Thank you for the nice posting. The moment someone stops learning, they have become as good as dead wood. All great leaders, from politicians to corporate heads, have the habit of reading and always make time for learning something new.
Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and our President Dr. Kalam have enough time for reading and always make it a habit to read before they go to sleep for the day. They always keep their ears wide open to learn something new and enrich themselves in the pursuit of life.
Thanks once again for reminding us, it's a great learning experience.
Cheers!
Baskaran
From India, Hyderabad
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Thank you for the nice posting. The moment someone stops learning, they have become as good as dead wood. All great leaders, from politicians to corporate heads, have the habit of reading and always make time for learning something new.
Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and our President Dr. Kalam have enough time for reading and always make it a habit to read before they go to sleep for the day. They always keep their ears wide open to learn something new and enrich themselves in the pursuit of life.
Thanks once again for reminding us, it's a great learning experience.
Cheers!
Baskaran
From India, Hyderabad
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Hi dear.
In fact, I will appreciate your idea, even though I know that 85% is given to learning behavior, and the remaining 15% weightage would be given to technical knowledge.
Keep posting.
Regards,
Mayur Dodiya
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In fact, I will appreciate your idea, even though I know that 85% is given to learning behavior, and the remaining 15% weightage would be given to technical knowledge.
Keep posting.
Regards,
Mayur Dodiya
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Dear Enzo, Baskaran, Mayur, thank you for the kind words.
I also know many people who have stopped learning. They think that they are experts and know everything. They have ready excuses to not learn. One thing I know for sure is that you can live as long as you have the zeal to live and a purpose in life; you can learn for as long as you want to. Learning is not just about reading books, magazines, or newspapers but about implementing the lessons you have learned in your daily life. It's all about application.
Have a great day and take care. Keep smiling. Keep growing. Keep loving. Keep learning.
Sanjeev Sharma
From India, Mumbai
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I also know many people who have stopped learning. They think that they are experts and know everything. They have ready excuses to not learn. One thing I know for sure is that you can live as long as you have the zeal to live and a purpose in life; you can learn for as long as you want to. Learning is not just about reading books, magazines, or newspapers but about implementing the lessons you have learned in your daily life. It's all about application.
Have a great day and take care. Keep smiling. Keep growing. Keep loving. Keep learning.
Sanjeev Sharma
From India, Mumbai
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Hi dear,
Thanks for sending such an inspiring post. It's true that when a person is gaining experience or some knowledge, they may think they have reached the maximum and no one else can teach them further.
Here, I would like to add a quote, "A person becomes old when they stop learning, whether they are 20 or 80."
So, never think that you have achieved the maximum and cannot be taught more because the world, the environment, techniques, technology, and all other things never remain constant. If you remain stagnant, you will be just like "water in a pond which stays there for years."
Regards,
Khalid
From Pakistan, Lahore
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Thanks for sending such an inspiring post. It's true that when a person is gaining experience or some knowledge, they may think they have reached the maximum and no one else can teach them further.
Here, I would like to add a quote, "A person becomes old when they stop learning, whether they are 20 or 80."
So, never think that you have achieved the maximum and cannot be taught more because the world, the environment, techniques, technology, and all other things never remain constant. If you remain stagnant, you will be just like "water in a pond which stays there for years."
Regards,
Khalid
From Pakistan, Lahore
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Hi Sanjeev,
I am in full agreement with the contents of the article you have posted, especially regarding us Indians learning about the negatives of Western society. We conveniently decide what is right and wrong depending on what suits our requirements.
I think we need to pay heed to what this article is trying to convey to us. Thanks for sharing. It was a pleasure to read it.
Take care,
Bhavna
From India, New Delhi
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I am in full agreement with the contents of the article you have posted, especially regarding us Indians learning about the negatives of Western society. We conveniently decide what is right and wrong depending on what suits our requirements.
I think we need to pay heed to what this article is trying to convey to us. Thanks for sharing. It was a pleasure to read it.
Take care,
Bhavna
From India, New Delhi
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