Make a learning commitment to yourself

We all set goals in our work and in our lives. We have an idea for something we'd like to do. We're convinced we want to do it, and then life happens. Work gets in the way, our best intentions are diverted, and despite our best intentions, we end up not achieving that goal. That's why one of the greatest opportunities towards learning agility is to set and achieve learning goals. Agility means that we may come up with a new insight or a new curiosity or a new strategy for our future, and because we have the skill set for learning agility, we can head in that new direction. That means we shouldn't just commit to learning goals, we should make sure we're learning the skill set to make those goals a reality. And you do that by following six steps. First, research your goal. Especially if you choose something big, make sure you're deciding based on good information. Research online and talk to several people who've already achieved that learning goal to make sure you understand the costs and results of reaching the target. Ask those people if there are alternative paths to achieve the same goal. For example, you might think you need to earn a degree, but then you discover there's a certificate or an apprenticeship that can get you very similar results with less time and cost. This is also a good opportunity to use AI. Describe your goal to the AI tool, then ask for ideas about different ways to achieve it. Just make sure you double-check that the tool is giving you accurate input. Second, set your goal. Write down what you're trying to accomplish. Make it as specific as possible. Don't just list, say, a particular language that you want to learn. Write down if you need to do it in a certain period of time or to achieve a certain level of proficiency. Give special attention to why you want to achieve that goal so you're clear on your own motivation. Third, break down your goal into doable steps. Use your research skills to make sure you really understand how to get there. You can also use AI to suggest what steps you might follow, what barriers you might encounter, and strategies for overcoming those barriers. Fourth, make specific commitments to yourself. Put the first couple of steps on your calendar. The more real you make your commitments to key stepping stones, the better you can determine what you need to do to reach those milestones. Fifth, externalize. That means, tell someone. Ideally, someone who can support you in the learning process, helping you keep your commitments to those milestones. And finally, keep a journal or other record of your learning activities along the way. It can be something as simple as typing notes in an online document, or transcribing voice memos that you dictate into your phone. Remember that we often forget what we've achieved, and sometimes we forget really quickly. You can empower yourself to achieve your learning goals by looking back at your learning notes after each step, and by being encouraged by what you've already accomplished. Now, here's another tool to help you follow through on your learning commitment. Download your learning contract and use it for each of your major learning goals.