How to Set a Vision for Learning anything!
Before initiating your learning journey, either in acquiring a new skill or mastering a subject, it is essential to set a vision. This vision sets the stage for all phases of the learning process — sometimes as a motivator, other times as discipline building. A learning vision is similar to a company's vision — a long-term objective that guides day-to-day operations.
Instead of hoping for the best and going with the flow, you should first decide what you want to reach when embarking on a learning experience. How will your professional and personal life improve? What opportunities will emerge from that skill?
Take the time to define your vision before initiating any learning process and imagine how everything would be different.
How to Set a Vision for Learning anything!
To help you through the process, I have defined three simple steps that will lead you from 0 to having an exciting and motivating vision.
Brainstorm
The process of setting a learning vision begins with brainstorming all the potential benefits of embarking on the process. Achieving a higher position, getting a high-paid job, starting a business, inspiring your team, etc. Anything counts at this stage. Use your creativity, imagination and ambition to generate insights and imagine all the positive outcomes you can reach.
If you want to learn a new skill, such as video editing, what is your goal? Perhaps you want to help your company improve their marketing efforts through video. What will that bring you in terms of salary, accomplishments, opportunities?
You might want to learn academic writing to develop your thesis and get a scholarship. Your vision might be the scholarship itself or being hired as a Professor.
Select
The second step is about selecting 1-3 of the biggest benefits you have identified in the previous step. Perhaps landing your dream job, getting a scholarship for academic excellence, or getting a new big client. Choose what excites you the most.
Craft
Now that you have identified the three top major benefits of embracing a learning opportunity combine them into a sentence. Use this simple structure:
“After Learning x, I am, or I am doing, y.” “After finishing my Ph.d, I am a Professor at Harvard University”, “After working on my productivity, I have more free time”, “After learning copy-writing, I am being promoted.”
There is no right or wrong vision. There is only the right or wrong vision for you. Make sure you are choosing a vision that empowers you to give your best.
I highly encourage you to keep your vision within sight — in your office, with a phone reminder, in your bathroom mirror, etc. It will be your guide for all the actions you take from now on.
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