When we are in a challenging stage, it can be difficult to motivate ourselves in any personal growth, but mental growth can suffer the most. Depression is tied to slower learning abilities, distraction keeps us from focusing, and we can choose the easy path of filling our extra time with a lot of easy entertainment rather than push ourselves to learn and grow. But we are choosing to move forward on the path of learning.
In previous steps we took the small steps of choosing a skill or topic to learn this year (Step Four) and then figuring out the best method to accomplish this (Step Eleven). By this point you should have your materials or be enrolled in your class. If not, what is the next thing you need to do to accomplish this? Do you need to do an internet search for these things? Do you need to get a phone number to make a call? Get the things in place so you can start your learning journey.
Your next step is to block out a time each day to work on your study topic for the year. This is when we turn this into a habit.
New Habit:
- Beginner: Choose the best time of day to work on your study topic. If you enrolled in a class, you might have less control of the time attend. But you will have control of personal study time.
- Next Level: If you have been studying your topic for a while, are you enjoying it? Does it fulfill you? Do you have an end goal? Is it time to level up and get into more advanced classes? Or is time to change to a topic that truly speaks to you?
Journal: What topic are you studying, how are you studying it, and what are your goals in this area at this time? We will be cycling back through the steps, and future you will enjoy reading where you started and assessing how far you have come.