What does it mean to be a student of life and how can you be one?
This article shares just that. If you're interested in personal and professional development and want to be an avid learner for life, then keep reading.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BECOME A STUDENT OF LIFE?
As a student in school, it's easy to learn new things and acquire new knowledge. You're actually bombarded with it. You sit in class for hours a day, forced to take in new knowledge every day.
But after you graduate and start dipping your feet into the trenches of adulthood, it's easy to move into survival mode. Your priorities become earning money to pay the bills and put food on the table.
It becomes easy to let learning slip off your list of priorities. Because of this, your brain can turn to mush without keeping it nourished or giving it the brain exercise it needs.
This is where continuous learning and becoming a student of life come in.
Learning should not stop once you graduate from school. In fact, after graduating from school is where the "real" learning starts. Real-life begins after your college education. And this real-life offers you more lessons than a textbook ever did.
As a business owner, professional, and individual, you must constantly seek more ways to grow. There are always new things to learn, new experiences to gain, and new adventures to be discovered. It's essential to become a student of life.
Below are a few ways you can continue your learning journey and become a student of life, for life.
Related: Growth Mindset (How to Cultivate One)
Ways to Become a Student of Life
Below are a few ways you can continuously learn, explore, experience the world, and become a student of life.
Stay humble
No matter how many honors and awards you received in your university years, you'll soon learn that after college, there's still so much to learn. There's so much to experience and still so much to discover.
You don’t know it all, and frankly, you never will. Accept it and most importantly, embrace it.
The key to becoming a student of life, for life is to accept that you'll never know it all. This makes you more humble and open to continuous learning. When you remain humble, this doesn't mean you are weak. In fact, remaining humble shows strength. It takes strength and courage to admit that you don't know something but are willing to learn.
EXPLORE THE WORLD
We are a small speck of dust in this entire universe. The world is so huge and there are so many places to explore.
Don't limit yourself to your own backyard or your hometown just because you feel comfortable there. Explore the world. If you have the opportunity to travel, by all means, go.
Traveling doesn't always have to mean going on expensive trips around the world. It can also mean exploring your city to see it in ways you haven't before. This can also mean learning about new cultures, countries, and new people even through the internet.
Additionally, exploring the world can also mean exposing yourself to new people and learning about their different cultures.
NEVER STOP ASKING QUESTIONS
A lot of us may be afraid to speak up at meetings and ask questions for fear of being judged. But we shouldn't let this fear overpower us.
Asking questions is a powerful way to continuously learn. Plus, you may even ask a question that will spark new ideas. A win-win for everyone.
Don' be afraid to speak up and ask questions.
Read Outside Your Interests
Reading books is another great way to keep learning and become a student of life. But most choose books that we find interesting. Not a lot of us read on topics we have no knowledge about.
Now, try pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and reading books that are outside of your interest.
Easier said than done, of course. But the thing about exploring things outside of your interest or comfort zone is that it helps you learn new ideas and discover new interests. You'll never know what other things may pique your interest if you only stay inside your safe and comfortable space.
Make IT a Point to Talk to Smart People
This one is another powerful way to keep ourselves learning and keep our minds open. But how many of us actually speak to and seek out intelligent people?
Whether that be in person or online, talking to people who are good at what they do can help broaden our horizons. When you do find those people, make sure to ask a lot of questions, without being afraid that these inquiries are too basic or would make you look foolish.
Bonus points if the topics are outside of your comfort zone and you know nothing about.
to become a student of life one must ACQUIRE NEW LIFE SKILLS
Maybe you've always wanted to learn how to bake but never had the time to. This is your sign to go for it.
Whether that's learning how to ride a bike, drive a car, learn a new language, there's certainly something new that you can discover. You'll be able to add a new skill to your list and cross it off your bucket list too.
And remember, it's never too late to learn something new.
BE AROUND PEOPLE DIFFERENT THAN YOU
It's easy to be drawn to people who have the same interests as you. But deliberately hanging around people who have different likes, different backgrounds, and experiences in life can enrich your life ten-fold.
Leave your comfort zone and make new friends with people you least expect.
STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE to become a student of life
Do you feel bored, stuck, or unhappy with your job? With your current situation? Or with your life in general?
Could it be because you are stuck in your comfort zone?
In order to keep learning and keep life interesting, try to step outside of your comfort zone. Although it may seem scary at first, it's always a good idea to stretch your limits and discover something new.
ENROLL IN ONLINE CLASSES
The internet is booming nowadays. And more and more people are able to learn using only YouTube or the internet.
With so many options to choose from, you'll definitely be able to find something that suits you. If you want to learn something new or hone your craft, try enrolling in an online class to further your knowledge and skills. Websites such as The Open University or UDemy are helpful and have a lot of courses you can choose from.
BE CULTURED
Being cultured means being aware and knowledgeable of your society, events, and people around you.
Being cultured doesn't mean you need to sit in a boring history class. You can be cultured and have fun at the same time.
Watch as many movies and read as many books as possible. Also, make sure to watch movies or read books that are classics. Try watching biographies or reading novels outside of your usual interests.
Movies and books are great ways to look into how other people interpret and experience the world.
ASK FOR FEEDBACK
Our last advice in order to be a continuous learner and student of life is to seek feedback.
Asking for feedback, especially constructive ones can help us improve ourselves. We get to see ourselves and our actions from the viewpoint of another person. This opens our minds to see how we can continuously improve.
BECOME A STUDENT OF LIFE, FOR LIFE
Becoming a student of life is as the name suggests, something you do for life.
These small actions, when ingrained and become habits, can help improve your life, widen your experience, and help you live a richer, more meaningful life.