A Theory on Why People Learn

A Theory on Why People Learn

By Lowell Ernst

We often talk about teaching people to be lifelong learners. What does that really mean? Why do we investigate some issues while we just let other things go and never think about them again?

Why people learn:

Curiosity - Many issues we learn from caused us to become curious about why something has happened or why a specific decision is being made. This can be caused by genuine curiosity, being annoyed over a decision or a desire to find a better way. Regardless of the source of the curiosity, we have a desire to know more about the issue.

Conviction - If our curiosity is great enough, we are convicted that we must learn more. We can’t let it go without knowing why or sometimes trying to find a better option. When we are convicted, we are motivated to learn more.

Knowledge - We can’t make good decisions until we know enough about a topic. When we don’t know enough to take on the issue, we are naturally motivated to seek out additional information. The challenge comes when people do not have the skills to find what they need to become an informed decision maker. 

Decision Making - At this point we either go to work or we give up based upon the passion of our original conviction. This choice happens based upon previous experiences, our perception of our ability to make a difference and our fixed or growth mindset.

Call to Action - When we choose to dig in and go to work, we have decided we want to do something about the topic. We may be seeking a new solution, understanding a previous decision or trying to counter an opposing viewpoint. This causes us to develop a plan on how we will proceed.  It give us a reason to spend time on the issue and focuses on an end goal.

My reason for reflecting on this is directly related to how leaders think. Great leaders tend to approach their lives thinking they can cause a difference. They reach a call to action quickly because they have a mindset that allows them to view the world as a place where we are called to have an impact rather than constantly being impacted. Our challenge is to create educational and social environments that help more people develop this mindset.