Years ago, in an uncharacteristically profound moment of reflection, I discovered the key to self-renewal. I resolved that every year of my life, I would take it upon myself to learn something new. I was not 20 years old when made that pledge. That winter I embarked on my first endeavour by purchasing a set of cross country skis and teaching myself how to use them.
In subsequent years, I dabbled in diverse activities ranging from orienteering to oil painting, from carpentry to canoeing.
I pursued an interest in languages, learning a little Ukrainian, a lot of French and a relatively new language called “HTML”.
Those classic pieces of literature and philosophy that “everyone talks about but nobody reads”? I set out to read them, and I did.
One year I even taught myself how to do traditional embroidery and made a tablecloth for my mother’s Christmas present. It was a gift that brought tears to her eyes – in a good way.
I tackled the violin (least successful venture) and classic auto restoration (most expensive). My most impactful pursuit involved a return to university to learn about learning, effectively launching my career in education.
Early on in this life initiative, I was very deliberate about selecting a new learning target every year. My only guiding principle was that I had to find it interesting.
As the years went by and life got busier, family, work, and other commitments pushed aside my annual search for a new learning challenge. By then however, I found that it really did not matter. I realized that the will to learn something new was ingrained into my being. What had started out as deliberate and had become second nature.
I know now that the best way to make something habitual is through consistent conscientious engagement. That applies to behaviour, attitude, and disposition.
Would I have been this path had I not made that resolution so many years ago? Perhaps, but there is no doubt that pledge gave me an early start on a journey of lifelong learning.
It is a path I hope I can inspire others to follow.