How & Why You Should Develop a Lifelong Learning Mindset

A lifelong learning mindset belongs to someone who is dedicated to learning and growing throughout their entire life, even after their formal education has been completed. Lifelong learning is a dedication to personal and professional development with an understanding that we are never truly 'done' learning.

Developing a lifelong learning mindset takes time and practice, but it is a worthwhile pursuit as it provides many benefits throughout your life. This process of learning can take place through formal education such as degree programs, certifications, or online courses, or through less formal experiences such as having an open mindset and curiosity about the world.

A survey by the Pew Research Center found that 87% of employees hold the belief that lifelong learning will be critical to their success in the workplace throughout their lives.

What Does Lifelong Learning Mean?

Lifelong learning means being dedicated to learning for your whole lifetime, even after the typical age when formal education ends. Having a lifelong learning mindset helps to improve your quality of life by helping you to face new challenges with a mindset of openness and curiosity.

Benefits of Lifelong Learning

There are many benefits to developing a lifelong learning mindset beyond the actual information that is learned. It can also help you in other areas of your life that you might not expect.

Learn New Skills

Lifelong learners have a dedication to continuous learning in a variety of ways. If you are dedicated to learning new skills, you will have an easier time with problem-solving. For example, if something in your house breaks, you may be able to learn a new skill by figuring out how to fix it instead of hiring someone to fix it for you.

Everyone's learning goals are different, but you never know when your expanding skillset may come in handy, such as being able to help out a friend with your expertise.

Improve Self-Confidence

Having a lifelong learning mindset can increase your self-confidence which will benefit you in your career and your personal life. Consider exploring new technologies that you find difficult to grasp at first. Once you've practiced and mastered the skill, it can improve your self-confidence and belief in your abilities.

Improve your Mental Health

Your mental health can improve when you look at your challenges as a way to learn something new rather than something you can't control. Many lifelong learners find deep personal fulfillment by constantly trying new things.

Become Self-Motivated

Not depending on others to guide and initiate learning can help you to become a more self-motivated individual. Many online and self-directed courses can help you learn about new topics.

4 Ways To Adopt a Lifelong Learning Mindset

Here are some tips for adopting a lifelong learning mindset.

1. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

One great way to develop a lifelong learning mindset is to get out of your comfort zone by facing new challenges. This could look like learning a new language, tackling a project around the house, or earning a new professional qualification. You may just find that stepping out of your comfort zone is the hardest part, and once you've made that first step things feel a bit easier.

2. Develop a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that you are always growing and able to learn new things. Rather than believing that people are born with innate abilities, you believe that people can improve their skills by learning and putting in the hard work to grow.

3. Personal Development

Focus on improving yourself through:

• listening to podcasts
• reading new books
• expanding your friend circles

Accepting yourself as you are while also understanding that you can always better yourself is a great way to develop a lifelong learning mindset.

4. Professional Development

There are endless professional development learning opportunities that you can pursue if you look hard enough to find them. Even if you've completed your formal education, there are online certifications and classes taught by higher education institutions that can still offer incredible learning opportunities.

How Technology Can Support Lifelong Learning

Online courses are growing in popularity and becoming more accessible. Online education opportunities are typically centered on adult learning, meaning that they offer flexible schedules for those who work during the day and have other obligations.

There are other less formal options for continuing education, such as watching training videos on LinkedIn or YouTube.

How Does Being a Lifelong Learner Contribute to Career Success?

Whether you'd like to stay in your current job or are recently back on the job market, being a lifelong learner can contribute to your career success. Every industry changes and grows over time, so being willing to learn new knowledge to stay up to date in your industry is beneficial to both you and your employer.