Your personal development coach

Know Yourself As a Learner

You are a living, breathing, continually changing, one-of-a-kind human being. You have a unique blend of values, needs, capabilities, background, work and life context, and more. All of these affect your learning situation, goals, motivation. They often automatically guide your learning. On occasion they may move you in directions may not want to go.

Periodically take some time to become more aware of the forces that automatically guide you and that influence you as you evolve and learn. The sources of your learning goals will become clearer, and you’ll be a better agent of your own change.

In these fast-changing times, it is useful to check in on yourself as a learner – what is shaping you, how are you changing? So, from time to time, take a few minutes and imagine or write your answers to these questions. Your answers will help you clarify where you want to spend your learning energy.

  • Lifeline Insights. What have been the most shaping (learning) events in your life so far? What recent events have caused you to change in some way? What lessons do these times of change teach you?
  • Needs. What needs are driving you right now? Consider physical, emotional, social, achievement-related, and related to legacy or higher purpose.
  • Shadows. Are any unresolved issues, desires or aspirations arising in you from time to time? What are they calling you to develop or change?
  • Life Stage. Are you entering a different stage of life, work, or family situation? What will be different about it? What will you be giving up, adding in your life?
  • Sense of Power. Where do you feel powerful and not so powerful in your life? What capabilities could you develop to increase your sense of personal power?
  • Learning Preferences. What learning resources are you using or ignoring?
  • Motivated Competencies. What knowledge or skills do you want to develop or acquire for work or personally?
  • Values. What key values are affecting your decisions at work and home? Are there any you would like to act on more frequently?
  • Life Purpose. When you feel really energized and alive, what kinds of goals are you pursuing? What are the bigger purposes that guide you? What are the learning implications?

Download the Your Personal Learning Compass (in Tools). Jot down a few words to summarize where you are now in each of the Compass areas.