The famous futurist Alvin Toffler said many years ago that, “The illiterate of the future will not be the person who cannot read. It will be the person who does not know how to learn.” That predication is becoming truer and truer every day. Whether for professional development or for your own self-improvement it’s clearer than ever that being an effective lifelong learner is the key to success. But how do you get started and then stay on the path to success? Here are some tips for helping you jump-start your efforts:Set Clear Goals – and Write them Down!Being a successful lifelong learner is like being successful at nearly anything else – you have to know what you are going for if you expect to get there. Want to learn a new skill or a new language? State clearly what level of proficiency you are aiming for and how you will know you have achieved it. Then work backward to fill in the exact steps and timeline for getting there. But don’t just do this in your head: write it down and put it someplace where it is easy for you to review often, whether that is on your computer or on your refrigerator.Get OrganizedSetting goals and writing them down is the first step towards organizing your lifelong learning efforts, but you need to take things further if you really want to achieve success. Pick one or two specific places where you keep all resources related to your learning goals – like a specific book shelf, or a dedicated folder on your computer. Make it as easy as possible to find the resources you need when you need them.Be PersistentYou know the old joke: “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” Punchline: “Practice!” There really are very few short cuts to true learning. You have to put in the time to go over things again and again, whether that means practicing musical scales daily, or memorizing vocabulary, or … [fill in whatever is relevant to your learning]. Keep at it. Over time you will build and solidify connections in your long-term working memory. And one day, you will wake up to find that you have become an expert!Be ConsistentIf, as they say, “Repetition is the mother of learning,” then consistency may be the father. The human mind is very flexible, but it also likes to stick to a schedule whenever possible. Try to find a set time each day when you can focus on your learning activities. Don’t answer the phone. Stay off of e-mail, Twitter, and Facebook. Focus in on the thing you really want to learn, and nothing else.Enjoy the JourneyLearning can be challenging, there’s no doubt about it. But it should also bring you pleasure. In fact, you are likely to learn much faster and more effectively if you enjoy what you are doing. You will often have to push yourself, but if you hit times when you really are not motivated, take a break. Do something else for a while. Whatever you do, don’t beat yourself up about it. Of course, if you find this lack of motivation occurring often, you should revisit your goals. Are you focused on what really matters to you? Are you trying to do too much? Adjust as needed, and then continue on your learning journey.Author: Jeff CobbArticle Source: EzineArticles.comProvided by: Smart cooker
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