Lifelong learning and Change

My love affair with lifelong learning started very early in my life. In fact, I had just finished 6th grade. But it was not love at first sight!

Here’s what happened. I grew up in Communist Cuba, and after the 6th grade I was not able to continue my education unless I was willing to compromise my faith and to be part of the youth communist party. Since I was not willing to do any of those, I was stuck at home, and not very happy about it. You see, I’m one of those strange people who have always loved learning.

In one of those days when I was mopping about the house and complaining about not been able to go to school and learn, my father pointed up to me that it was true I could not go to school, but it was not true I could not continue learning. That got my attention! My instant question was: “but how?” He just pointed to his ample library. He then told me stories about other people through time who had self-taught themselves into all kinds of professions and who had become well educated on their own.

To make a long story short, from the time I was 13 years old until I was able to leave Cuba at 18, I read voraciously everything I could get my hands on in my home, but also in the homes of my father’s friends. Books were my window to the world. Old numbers of Reader’s Digest made me open my eyes to many different subjects and to see history from other eyes that were not communist. I read literature, history, archeology, religion, travels, science, you name it! And I also practiced and learn music, specifically classical piano.

Then, fast forward to 1970 and we had just moved to Costa Rica. I was eighteen years old and with only a 6th grade education. I certainly didn’t want to start seventh grade and go year by year through high school at a time when my contemporaries were already out of High School. The solution? I had already learned how to learn, so, I borrow books and notes and in one year took all comprehensive exams for all subjects for each year from 7th through 12 grade.

I then came to start College in the USA. . . but didn’t know a word of English. By now I knew I could learn anything on my own, no problem. I taught myself English while taking 12 credits for my first semester. And from then on, I continued to love my learning journey through the years, all the way to my Ph.D. In the process of learning more about learning, I became a fanatic of lifelong learning.

Lifelong learning is self-directed. Learning is about changing the way we see the world. Learning is voluntary. Learning is always available, and it compounds, because once we’ve acquired it, we can use it again and again.

In today’s world, continuous learning is a survival tool. Otherwise, you would become obsolete in a few months. People who have chosen to be high performers: Doctors, athletes, programmers and leaders who choose to have influence understand that continuous learning is at the heart of what they’ll need to do. For life!

Many adults in the US read no more than a book a year. That’s because books aren’t assigned after you’ve got your degree. Yet, the #1 habit successful people share is this: They read books to learn, and to keep learning. They do it often and with joy. Depending who you talk to, they read from 1 book a week, to several books a week.

You should try it! Reading is cheap. It’s free, (at the library or online) and portable and specific.

Throughout this week and next I will talk more about learning, share suggestions, and also have an announcement about a very exciting event coming up soon. The event is by people I respect a lot and who are committed to lifelong learning. If you don’t want to miss any of this, just give me your email and I will give you access to a special FB group from where I will share my live content and will make sure to let you know every time something important is happening. In the group you can ask questions, comment, and share your own stories about lifelong learning.