Dear Creativity,
My number one strength is learning. I am a perpetual student and lifelong learner. Nothing is more intoxicating, inspiring, and illuminating than seeking information in a beautiful academic setting with learning happening all around, answering questions, getting curious, and piecing puzzles together as you overcome challenges and experiment with solutions. This is my happy place. In my ultimate dream job, I would be paid to learn, facilitate dialog, and guide people to seek their unique answers once they focus on the right question.
Creativity, you emerge from so many different places and spaces, and a good non-fiction book might be my favorite to seek you out. As I look back on my academic career I often wonder how I managed a BSE, MS, and Ph.D. in computer science not because of the content, but because of the amount of reading required to pursue all those degrees. You see as as a child, I was not a veracious reader. If I had learned some tools or had aids to help me speed up my reading process, I probably would have been, but I was a slow reader. I would get lost in the pages and find myself reading the same pages over and over again.
As an undergraduate, I tried all types of shenanigans to get through the loads of reading set before me. One method that seemed to work was pacing back and forth with a book in hand. Moving set me into a rhythm of reading at a faster pace. I am not certain it worked because it made it that much harder to keep my spot, but I would try anything to keep up with the daunting workload and to hold a candle to my peers’ flames. It was not easy to get through all that reading, but I did it. At least once I was in the dissertation phase of graduate school things could be at my own pace, which made it better. It was good enough to stick through 7 years and complete a book.
And then there were the book clubs. I never finished the book or barely got started because I would bore myself with my slow pace of consumption. And then I discovered the audiobook. Can you see the glow of my headphones? Walking and listening to books has been a heavenly experience. Thank you Creativity for making this technology mainstream. I can only imagine what kind of student I would have been if I had access to this tech when I was growing up. Even being aware that I could have access to this technology would have been a game changer. Regardless of the learning of the past, in a year I have consumed more books from end to end than I have ever done in a 5-10 year span. Now that I have 10x’d my learning, it has me wondering…
If we can’t learn everything and everything is worth learning, how do we choose?
There are a few things that have worked for me thus far. When we are choosing what to learn being intentional and communal in our approach to learning is important. Here are four strategies I’ve found invaluable in my quest for knowledge:
- Make a list: I catalog my interests and curiosities through Goodreads, Amazon, Spotify, Libby, Evernote, and my journal. When I hear about anything that piques my interest I add to a list in one of these places. My lists include topics that spark my imagination, skills I would you like to develop, and things I just want to know more about. Creating a list helps me prioritize and focus my learning efforts. And I know something has truly resonated with me, if I invest in the book to add it to my collection of potential and roadmap for my intellectual journey, guiding me towards the knowledge that I am most passionate about.
- Join a book study: There’s something magical about diving into a book with others. Book studies provide structure, accountability, and diverse perspectives. They challenge us to engage more deeply with the material and often reveal insights we might have missed on our own. I might not always finish the book before the discussion, but it is the conversation and dialog that stretches my thinking that is the attraction.
- Be in community with other learners: Learning doesn’t have to be a solitary pursuit. Surrounding myself with fellow lifelong learners is my defacto move. Whether it’s joining online groups, attending lectures, participating in workshops, or opting into a membership community, being part of a learning community fuels our motivation and exposes us to new ideas and resources.
- Come up with questions you wish to answer: Curiosity is the engine of learning. Instead of passively consuming information, I approach learning with specific questions in mind. What do I want to understand better? What problems do I want to solve? I let these questions guide my learning journey, making it more purposeful and rewarding. We always learn the most when we craft a really good question to answer.
Creativity, as I embrace these strategies, I feel a renewed excitement for learning. The world is vast, and knowledge is infinite, but with intention and community, we can navigate this unwieldy sea of information. We can choose paths that not only enrich our minds but also feed our souls.
So, dear Creativity, I will always look forward to our continued partnership that leads me to unchartered journeys where my ideas can take flight. With every book, every discussion, every question asked and answered, we’re not just learning—we’re growing, evolving, and perhaps even changing the world in our unique way.
Here’s to the joy of perpetual learning and the creativity it ignites within us all.
Innovatively yours,
Dr. Abigail
