Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Those 7 1/2 Habits

Which of those "7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners" is easiest for me and which is hardest? Habit #4 is probably the easiest (Have confidence in yourself as a competent, effective learner). After 2 Master's degrees and almost 36 years in a field that forces you to learn new things all the time, if I weren't "a competent, effective learner" I'd have gone down in flames by now.

Of course, there's that problem of my constitutional inability to learn how to knit. A couple of truly excellent needlewomen tried to teach me and threw up their hands. It's like my depressing career as an art student--no matter how good a learner you are, and how hard you work, for some things you just need talent or ability (like physical coordination) that no amount of learning can make up for. That's why I'm an art librarian with a degree in art history today, instead of an artist.

What skill is hardest? Hnads down, "View problems as challenges." (#3) At this stage of my life it's hard to view problems as anything but a pain in the kiester and an irritation. (Speaking of learning, I'm studying to be a curmudgeon when I grow up.)

1 comment:

Minerva said...

A curmudgeon? I'm glad to hear it; I'm majoring in crotchety, myself.