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Want to learn more? Take a deep dive…

Baldoni, J. (2010, January 29). How to encourage small innovations. Harvard Business Review Blog
Network.
Cain, M. (2013, April 23). 5 Ways to conquer your fear of failure. Forbes.

Laufenberg, D. (2010, December). Diana Laufenberg: How to learn? From mistakes [Video file].
TED.

10. Want to use current learning in the future? Reflect. Once you have completed a task or a project,
build in time for reflection. The best way to become a nimble learner is to take the time to consider
what you have learned from an experience and then apply that learning to future situations. Pause.
Reflect. On your own? Take a walk. Journal. Sit in silence. With others? Do a post-project review. Set
up an off-site session. Ask questions. What went well? What didn’t? How could you have done things
differently? If you face a similar challenge in the future, what can you take from this experience to be
even more successful? Don’t just think about this reflection as a review of the past. Think forward.
What can you take with you to be more successful in future challenges? As you grow, think about
your learning journey. What have you learned and developed along the way? How are you thinking
about problems from a different perspective now compared to 10 years ago? Five years ago? Three
months ago? Last week?

11. Don’t see much change or growth? Make learning a priority and a goal. Research indicates that
when a person not only seeks to make a good decision but also proactively seeks to learn from an
experience, they are more successful in the future. They not only solve the problem but also become
a better thinker. This helps the person solve future problems more effectively. When reflecting on the
experience, don’t just think about the impact of the solution. Consider what you have learned about
yourself. What is your best learning style? In what situations would you benefit from using a new or
different learning style? What approach is typical for you? What has been most difficult for you in this
challenge? Be aware of what is restricting your thinking and perspective. When approaching any new
situation, shift your thinking to be learning oriented.

12. Fall back to how you’ve always done it? Override your default comfort zone. If you find yourself
defaulting to the established way of doing things, you’re not alone. It turns out our brains are
conditioned to be more comfortable with the status quo. We have a natural tendency to stick to what
is already known. What we’ve already decided. What’s comfortable. Change of any kind makes our
brains work harder than staying the same. The good news is that we can override our brain’s natural
tendency toward inertia. How? By constantly trying something new—new ways of doing things, new
experiences, new people. There will be challenges for you at first. You’re bound to feel a decreased
sense of mastery and will likely fail sometimes too. Focus on the payoff—being able to adapt more
easily, being out in front of change. This will silence the worry voice inside your head that keeps you
tethered to what’s comfortable and familiar.

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