The Dark Side of Learning

When personal development goes wrong.

I get it. You want to learn and grow and become the best version of yourself.

You love attending workshops, seminars and conferences. You’ve downloaded countless ebooks, checklists and reports. Your Kindle library is full, and you spend hours each day consuming content by various experts and influencers.

You like to go inward and be deeply immersed in something that fascinates you, learning all its ins and outs. It’s so satisfying when you discover the nuances and intricacies of the subject. And yes, it can be highly addictive.

However, even though you enjoy the process of learning immensely, after months or even years of learning, you don’t seem to be getting the results you want. In fact, you often feel confused and overwhelmed instead of clear and confident.

You scattered brain is stuffed full of knowledge, but you don’t seem to be able to apply what you know to the task or challenge at hand. You know all the tips and strategies, but you are not doing any of them, or at least not consistently. Instead, you jump from one option to another, unable to make a firm decision or a long-term commitment.

It goes without saying that you are frustrated that you aren’t moving forward faster in your life or work, given how much time, energy and other resources you’ve invested into your learning and growth.

How do we solve this dilemma without denying your love for learning and robbing you of your enjoyment of the process? Here are a couple of ideas to help you shift your perspective so you can reap maximum benefits from your learning.

Recognise the Root Cause of Your Obsession

There’s a dark side to all this insatiable curiosity and endless pursuit of knowledge, and that is: you are afraid of uncertainty, of not knowing or looking foolish.

It also doesn’t help that we are constantly bombarded by messages that the world around us is changing so fast now that we need to keep learning in order to just survive. We are told that those who don’t keep up will be tossed aside and forgotten tomorrow.

So, instead of slowing down and finding our centre — our true north — in this ever-changing world, we keep chasing the next shiny object, hoping that it will give us the answer to survive just another day in this hostile, competitive world.

Instead of being driven by the pure love and joy of learning, deep down we are driven by the fear of the unknown and of not being enough just as we are.

Ditch “Just-In-Case” for “Just-In-Time” Learning

It follows that we become gluttons of knowledge. We consume, accumulate and hoard information in all its different forms.

Have you ever bought or downloaded books or online courses (and keep on buying and downloading even more) only to have them sitting in your computer or on your bookshelves untouched for months or even years?

Or maybe you’ve attended a live workshop and feel super motivated for days afterwards because you can see the possibility for change? As the weeks pass and you settle back into your old routines, you realise you’ve taken little or no action to apply what you’ve learned. So, nothing in your life has actually changed for the better — and soon you’ve forgotten all you’ve learned! Does that sound familiar?

Instead of studying and learning “just-in-case” so we can have all the knowledge we need and we won’t ever feel uncertain or dumb, it’s time to go for “just-in-time” learning.

The difference between the two mindsets of learning is the difference between going to college and spending four precious years learning a bunch of stuff we may or may not use later (and most likely will soon forget), and learning when we are actually on the job and coming across a gap in our knowledge or skill and need to fill it quickly.

After all, there’s so much information out there and we can spend our whole life getting stuck in the bottomless pit of learning, so we need to be selective and focused.

What’s more, learning just-in-time reduces the likelihood that the information we are learning becomes obsolete, as we’ll be seeking out the latest information, tools and technology in a timely manner.

What’s that Nike Slogan Again?

Many people are stuck in the cycle of learning, learning, and more learning. They hope learning alone will give them the confidence they need to move ahead, to finally feel “ready” to go for what they really want. However, we all know that hope is not a strategy for success.

Instead, you need to learn, act, learn. What do I mean by that? Learn until you get an insight or an urge to act, STOP learning and do it, even if it’s just one small step.

You will learn and grow more by actually doing, rather than just studying and thinking — what worked, what didn’t work, and then you can refine your knowledge for the future.

Clarity and confidence comes after action, not before.

On the other hand, if you keep on learning — or rather, over-learning — without any action, two things will happen: First, you’ll get more anxious as time passes and you don’t see the results you want, as you’re too busy learning and haven’t taken the time to apply what you’ve learned.

Second, you’ll soon forget about your first action step. Instead, you’ll find many other possible action steps and you’ll wonder which to do first. Then, you’ll think you need more information to help you decide, so you go and read another book or start another course. Before long, you’re stuck in a perpetual cycle of constant learning (again).

What’s the antidote? Well, Nike’s slogan ‘Just Do It’ comes to mind. It may sound trite, but it’s a brilliant marketing slogan at the end of the day. It stops our over-thinking in its tracks and the word ‘just’ makes taking action seem so quick and effortless.

Maybe that’s exactly what we need to take that first step to begin our journey of a thousand miles?

Avoid the Bottomless Pit of Learning and Put Knowledge to Action Today

We all have limited time and energy, and while learning may be a labour of love for you or just a necessity in this fast-changing world, it’s smart to find a healthy balance for your learning instead of being seduced by the alluring promise of wisdom and confidence. We can always learn more, but at what cost?

The truth is, our fear of the unknown and of not being enough as we are cannot be cured by learning. And no amount of learning ‘just-in-case’ will help us prepare ahead of time for the various challenges that life throws at us.

Rather, learning ‘just-in-time’ — when and as we need it — allows us to respond quickly and appropriately to the situation at hand.

Ultimately, only action will help you build the life, career and relationships you want, as well as overcome any obstacles that may come your way.

As an added bonus, taking action, no matter how small, boosts your confidence and gives you momentum so your can keep moving forward towards your desired outcome.

So, is there anything you’ve learned recently that you haven’t put into action yet?

Then, listen to Nike and ‘Just Do It!’

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Annie is an ICF-certified life coach and the author of Brave Again.