Becoming A Lifelong Learner

Lifelong learning is the desired state of learning that individuals must strive for and every organization hopes to cultivate in the constantly changing business landscape.

- Arun Taneja

To arrive at this desired state, let us begin to look at the way the attitude towards learning evolves as a child, is reformed as an adult and then blends into the organization learning culture.

Why do we learn?

Is it simply “to get acquainted with a subject or an object or to be able to repeatedly do a thing or action?”

Would a simple activity like brushing teeth or taking bath require learning? Most of us would respond with a vehement ‘Yes’. The simple life tasks like speaking, sleeping, sitting, walking and drinking are learnt as we grow, through observation or our parents guiding us with the correct method. On the other hand, we learn reading, writing, language, calculating and so on as part of our first structured instruction set. In this process, we have to be involved actively.

We learn by the natural process of growth, observation and instruction. The skills are both for growth and survival and our participation is mostly voluntary.

In the civilized society, as we start adapting to the world around us, we start learning new things in order to live a more meaningful life.

When do we stop learning?

The first five years of childhood are considered very crucial with respect to the child’s personality development. As a child, we have the option to respond to learning in one of the ways – Happily complete the task, Comply and Adapt, or Rebel. In the Transactional Analysis terms, these relate to three child ego-states – Natural Child, Adapted Child and Rebellious Child. The Natural Child is spontaneous, creative, and intuitive. The Adapted Child is compliant and adapts to the wishes of parents, teachers and authority figures. The Rebellious Child tries to fight back, but often due to the physical limitations, becomes non-cooperative.