“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.
