Simulated Learning; Looks like Learning, but Isn’t.

We all say we want to learn… but do we really?
We think we’re open-minded ’students of life’… but maybe, just maybe… we’re not.
Perhaps we just tell ourselves we are because it makes us feel good about… us.

“Oh yes, I’m very open-minded.. the world’s my classroom and every day is a new lesson.”

Sure it is Pinocchio.

What if we’re actually people who just read, hear and watch lots of stuff?
And then do nothing with it.
We don’t actually learn much at all.

“But Craig, I read and study… I attend workshops… I do courses… and I put your articles on my fridge.”

But do you consistently apply all that information and create different results?
“Sorry Craig, the line is breaking up… what did you say… sorry.. what, I can’t hear you… I’ll call you later.”

Does reading, hearing and watching necessarily translate to learning?
No.
Sometimes it just translates to… reading, hearing and watching.
Does attending countless workshops and courses necessarily equate to learning?
No.
Sometimes it just equates to more debt.
We all know people who consume self-help material voraciously but rarely learn anything.
Sometimes we are those people.

So when it comes to personal growth (what we all want), what is real learning?

Learning is changing.
Learning is doing different.
Learning is creating better outcomes.
Learning is reading, hearing, watching and then applying.
Learning is taking the theory and making it a practice.
Learning is doing what’s uncomfortable but necessary.
Learning is being prepared to admit (1) we don’t know or (2) we’ve been wrong.

Memorising a whole bunch of stuff ain’t learning.
It’s memorising.
Nice party trick but ain’t gonna change our reality for the better.
I know people who recite motivational crap all day… but don’t actually live it.

So why do we come to sites like this?
(Okay, we come here specifically because I’m mind-blowingly funny, amusing, insightful and frickin’ entertaining… but other than that… )
Because we want to read and memorise volumes of my thoughts and philosophies?
No.
Because we love Craig?
Sadly, no.

We come here because we want to create positive change in our life.
And the real indicator of learning is change.
If the result of your reading, hearing and watching is that you are creating better results… then you’re learning.

If you’re not, then you need to learn to learn.
Properly.

It’s been said (okay, I said it) that we are often students of convenience… we’ll learn what we want to learn; what doesn’t challenge us too much and what doesn’t inconvenience us.

Many people don’t learn (as well or as often as they could), not because they can’t… but because (on some level) they don’t want to.
Real learning is (often) painful, messy, time-consuming, impractical, exhausting and inconvenient.. and we all hate being put out.
We say we want to learn… but when we’re totally honest about it, we’re going through the motions.

Simulated learning; looks like learning, but isn’t.

When I give a corporate presentation I can usually spot at least one or two non-learners before I open my mouth… they usually have their arms crossed (defensive body language) and a what-would-you-know-you-idiot… look on their face.
For some reason best known to them, they have decided that they can’t learn anything from me.
And they don’t.

It doesn’t matter what’s about to come out of my mouth… they have made a decision (consciously or not) to not learn anything from me.
If you’re in a (quality) seminar and the majority of the people are learning something… and you’re not, then there’s a few possibilities:

(1) You’re a genius and you know it all.
(2) You’re handicapping yourself with your own issues and superiority complex.
(3) You don’t want to learn.

I can usually tell the difference between people who genuinely want to learn and people who don’t.
Some possible indicators:

(1) The questions they ask; people who want to learn ask genuine questions, people who don’t, make statements or say nothing.
People who want to learn are almost child-like; excited, open-minded, ready.
(2) Their body language; arms crossed, body angled away from the motivational speaker, disinterested facial expressions… not interested.
(3) Their attitude; you can discern someone’s attitude without talking to them.
The guy who’s constantly talking through your presentation for example.
The one I wanna physically hurt.
(That’s okay right?)
(4) They seem to be more concerned with demonstrating to the rest of the room how intelligent and amusing they are.
(5) Their participation or lack there of – head nodding, volunteering for activities, overall enthusiasm.

When don’t we learn?
(1) When we don’t want to (for whatever reason).
(2) When we don’t want to be wrong or embarrassed.
(3) When we don’t apply what we read, hear, watch.
(4) When we don’t want to have to re-wire our thinking or disturb our current life.
(5) When someone is teaching something which challenges our current beliefs (this is a massive one).
(6) When we’re not prepared to get uncomfortable or deal with the ‘inconvenience’ of it all.

What I find really interesting is that even with this post (article), some people who really need to hear and apply this message (it’s like it was written just for them) will still decide to do nothing.
Even though they claim they’re all about personal growth.
They will rationalise, justify and explain it to themselves (so they feel good about it)… and then they will find a way to remain a simulated learner.
Sad really.
And such a waste of potential.
And time.

So, are you reader, listener and watcher.. or are you a real learner?

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