Learning overload has become a perpetual undercurrent of my psyche. I continually feel overwhelmed by how much I need to learn in order to do things I want to do or just keep up with life…
It’s not that I’m afraid to learn. Indeed, it seems that I spend much of my time learning, and I generally enjoy it. But sometimes it all gets to be a bit too much.
I’m not talking about simply gathering information (like reading, or web surfing, or participating in dicussions). For me, those activites are fairly effortless. What’s burdening me is the ever-increasing list of new skills I must develop or enhance – that is, things I want or need to learn how to do rather than things I merely want or need to know about.
Here’s my current list of skills I currently want or need to acquire or enhance:
- How to work with cascading style sheets (CSS)
- More details about creating and tweaking XML and webfeeds
- How to record decent-sounding digital audio and everything else that goes into creating a podcast
- More useful command-line tricks
- More about applying instructional design principles for effective and engaging e-learning
- More about how to apply information architecture principles to content management systems and web sites
- How to do more fix-it stuff (repair and maintenance for home, auto, etc.)
- Better guitar skills (applied music theory and fingerpicking)
Obviously not all of those items are related to my work, but that just highlights the point that life itself involves a heck of a lot of learning.
I do set aside time for learning, and I do prioritize, but still my “to learn” list keeps growing – and I feel the pressure.
There’s got to be a better way.
HOW DAVE TAYLOR DEALS WITH OVERLOAD
Dave Taylor, a friend and colleague of mine based here in Boulder who runs the consultancy Intuitive.com, is a terribly smart guy with a broad range of skills and expertise. I explained my learning overload quandary to him, and here’s an excerpt from his response:
“In general, I’d have to say that my strategy is to try and improve the breadth to my knowledge, rather than the depth of any specific topic. I like to compare wizards and gurus in this light, where a wizard is someone who can fix something, but can’t necessarily tell you how or why. A guru, by contrast, can’t necessarily fix something, but knows who to ask or where to go for the answer. I consider myself much more of a guru.”
I suppose that in terms of my work I’m more of a “guru” than a “wizard,” too. Although for me, I think of the “guru” role as being a journalist. A good journalist is not necessarily a practitioner or expert in a particular field, but someone who can find the best experts and resources, get questions answered, and distill and communicate those answers effectively to the people who need them.
However, the fact remains that there are some things I want to be able to do myself, rather than just talk/write about or rely on others to do for me. That’s where my learning overload – and frustration – accumulates.
MY LEARNING FANTASY
Here’s what I would like: I want access to an excellent on-demand learning resource that covers at least most of the topics on my list. Lessons would be focused on specific building-block skills, presented in modules that require an hour or less each. There would be specific exercises for practice, and followup Q&A as needed.
Occasionally I find an e-learning or web-based resource like that, focused on a specific topic. That’s helpful. Sometimes I’ll attend an excellent workshop that delivers just what I need. Coaches, networking groups, and consultants can be a great resource as well.
Still, my fantasy is to have all or most of what I want to learn in one place. I want to know where to go, not spend a lot of time and energy tracking down my desired learning experience. And if they don’t already offer the specific learning experience I need, I want to be able to suggest one and have my suggestions developed into modules at least some of the time.
I would want lessons and Q&A to be offered online or via phone. I don’t want to have to travel to a workshop – not unless it was VERY special and useful.
This fantasy resource would resemble how Motley Fool offers a wide array of online classes. When investing was more of a priority to me, I took some of those online classes and got a lot out of them. And the price was reasonable.
I would pay for this kind of resource. Real money. I’m not rich, but this would offer considerable value to me. Like my writing coaching clients tell me that my advice and exercises are valuable to them.
BACK TO THE REAL WORLD
As is, my fantasy learning resource does not exist. So I muddle through with what’s available. I can learn well from books and the web. I leverage other people’s skills and resources, and I extend my own to others.
I rarely take conventional classes, because they are generally overkill for what I need. Still, I recognize the value of universities and other institutions of learning.
But sometimes I just want the ease of having the learning experiences I need delivered to me.
…Anyway, that’s how I feel about learning right now.
Do you experience learning overload? What does it feel like to you? How does it affect your life and your work, and what do you do about it? Please comment below, I’d love to hear a variety of experiences.
UPDATE: Yafle.com expanded on this article and made some good points…
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