Image by Elizabeth Albert

Educational experts say that everyone learns differently, and knowing your learning style can improve the way you take in information. Some people are visual learners – they like to see things demonstrated and appreciate graphical interpretations of data. Others are auditory learners – they use their senses of hearing and speech to listen to instructions and express their understanding. A smaller percentage of people are tactile learners; that is, they rely on their sense of touch to learn new concepts.

Knowing your learning style can help you succeed in education by presenting information to yourself in a way that makes sense. Different learning strategies can also help you learn quickly. There are tests that can help you discover your learning style, but this guide might give you an idea of your strengths.

Visual Learning: If you find that you easily understand information that is presented visually, you’re not alone. A majority of people are visual learners, so many textbooks and websites present information graphically to help people understand it quickly. But if you have to find information from less graphical sources, you can still play to your strengths. Take notes on what you learn using pictures or symbols and connect ideas with arrows. If you’re learning a task, have someone demonstrate it for you. “Translating” information into visual cues can help you understand it better.

Auditory Learning: Auditory learners can usually memorize things quickly after hearing them, sound out words and hold long, detailed conversations. If you learn well through listening and speaking, use those skills whenever possible. If a presenter prefers using demonstrations to teach, pay attention to how he explains them. Put his explanations in your own words and take notes on what you learn. When you review your notes, the information will make more sense if you present it to yourself in a way you understand.

Tactile Learning: Tactile learners understand concepts quickly when they can put them into action. They usually catch on quickly to new physical skills, are more creative, get fidgety when sitting still for too long and might mimic a presenter during a physical demonstration. If you are a tactile learner and can’t experiment with a new concept in a learning environment, make plans to do so later. Use your spare time to practice what you saw the presenter do or apply a concept to physical objects. Doing so will help you retain information more easily.

Image by jepoirrie

When you lift weights, your muscles get bigger. When you work to lose weight, you can see your success. The results of intellectual exercise are harder to see, but, researchers have recently learned, they are visible.

Sure, it takes a microscope to see the difference. But dendrites in the brain actually get bigger with intellectual stimulation and education. Dendrites provide communication in the brain – they relay messages between neurons and cell bodies – so when they get bigger, more communication happens. That means your mind is clearer, more active and better able to comprehend information. Help your dendrites thrive by taking these tips for lifelong learning.

1. Take up a new hobby. If you spend your evenings watching television, you’re missing out on a prime opportunity for learning. Use your time at home to learn new skills. Hobbies give you something to occupy your time and help you exercise different parts of your brain. Imagine the mental benefits of building model cars after spending all day looking at tax audits. Variety is good for the mind, and hobbies are great for helping you keep your brain active.
2. Read a book. Books are great tools for lifelong learning. You might choose to read the biography of your favorite athlete or a story you loved as a child. Maybe a great fantasy novel will help you exercise your imagination, or perhaps a nonfiction book will help you learn more about your industry. Whatever type of book appeals to you, find a copy and start reading.
3. Be a teacher. Teaching someone else is one of the best ways to learn. It doesn’t have to be in a formal teaching environment, but share with others the things that interest you. Tell your spouse what you read in your book or tell a child one of your favorite stories. Remembering things you’ve learned in the past will help you retain the memory, and others will benefit as you teach them.

Developing new skills is a process. Too often, we see the abilities of others and bemoan the fact that we aren’t innately talented like them. This is a fallacy, however, because that person likely had to work hard to master each skill they possess. Though they may make it look effortless, their confidence comes through experience and time.

I learned this firsthand a few years ago. I am an aspiring fiction writer and have written two novels. After receiving countless rejection letters, I began to doubt that either of these books would ever be published. I wondered what my problem was and why I couldn’t write as well as others.

During this time, I had the opportunity to meet one of my all-time favorite authors. An award-winner with several New York Times bestsellers, this man is among an elite group of modern writers. So to spend an evening with him discussing literature was a real thrill.

Many of us have a tendency to exalt our heroes, so it can be a little jarring to realize how fallible they are. In this author’s case, he was extremely affable and impressive to meet in person. But he quickly dispelled any idea that he possesses some preternatural ability for writing. His early writing had been, in his words, junk. He had been rejected by dozens of publishers. So how did he rise to his esteemed level of accomplishment? By writing four hours each day, seven days a week.

While this shouldn’t have come as a shock to me, it was definitely interesting to consider that what separates most people from success is their unwillingness to put forth the effort required. I wanted to get my books published. Yet I wasn’t willing to write every day; instead, I probably wrote about four hours a month. Given my lazy approach to the craft, it would be impossible for me to hone my skills.

Most sports fans consider Michael Jordan to be one of the greatest athletes in history. As with the author I met, Jordan’s skills are closely tied to his undeniable commitment to improvement. Without this commitment, would he have reached the same levels of success? It’s unlikely, and here’s the proof. In high school, Jordan possessed only average talent. His coaches were mildly impressed with his abilities and he lacked the ability to take over a game. He was on a course for a good, albeit forgettable, basketball career.

Refusing to accept the status quo, he committed himself to the game. He spent thousands of hours in the gym, perfecting each skill that later defined his style. While he made it look effortless on the court, these skills came only through years of development. He certainly had natural abilities, but they were perfected with hard work.

Regardless of the skill, results don’t come overnight. They develop.

Wishing you a successful new year from PMI!

Happy Holidays from all of us here at Learning For Earning! We hope you have a great weekend and that you travel safe in the winter weather.