Mastering the Art of Lifelong Learning: Embracing the Journey of Knowledge

Written by Da

I recently participated in a classroom as a student in my late twenties. One of the renowned professors lectured to our class of around 24 students, primarily focusing on critical theories, along with some challenging terms thrown in for good measure. I must admit that some of the concepts were beyond my comprehension. However, that is not the main point of this post.

Ebbinghaus' forgetting curve was one of the topics discussed. It may seem simple, yet it satiates my insatiable quest for knowledge. In essence, the curve informs us that, as average individuals, we can remember practically everything on day one, but our memory decreases over time.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forgetting_curve#/media/File:Forgetting_curve_decline.svg

One particular instance I'd like to share comes from my personal experience with language education. It has always seemed tough to me, and I've tried several times, facing more failures than imaginable. Yet, I kept pushing forward, battling through challenges. I struggled to remember technical jargon, compose complicated sentence patterns, or even recall fundamental grammar principles. It was frustrating, and I almost gave up many times, but I didn't—I fought back.

Eventually, I realized that I was approaching the issue incorrectly. Instead of understanding its fundamental essence, I attempted to alter it. As they say, doing the same thing and expecting different results won't work. Not all subjects in life produce the same results; one plus one doesn't always equal two. The solution became clear—I kept "forgetting" things. No matter how educated I am or how helpful the approaches seemed, I couldn't conjure up fancy language, create entertaining tales, or remember all the grammatical rules.

If you've read this far and want to know the so-called strategy I use in my lifelong learning, I recommend watching and performing anything I learn. According to the forgetting hypothesis, you don't have to memorize 100 new words in 15 minutes. It's better to do it twice a week or once a day, rather than once a month. That's a more effective path to true learning.

Now, let me offer you an example of language learning. Consider your native tongue. When people first learn their mother tongue, they are exposed to it by hearing it. Listening carefully, freely, and attentively with open ears, a child's first words are usually "papa" and "dada." Reading is another crucial ability that expands vocabulary and provides additional options for collocations and sentence patterns. When you imitate what you've seen or heard, you sound like others. Writing, a necessary yet time-consuming skill, also boosts introspection and creativity. If what you wrote today is identical to what you wrote yesterday, something is wrong. You are either a genius or a moron. I prefer to believe it's the former. Last but not least, there's speaking. Despite actions usually speaking louder than words, start speaking or modifying your views if you haven't done so. Take action, speak out, and follow your heart and mind.

Don't delay making changes; expand your horizons before your hair turns gray and dementia creeps in. Now is the moment to unleash the beast inside and embrace freedom; otherwise, you will be a prisoner of your own thoughts forever. Put an end to that forgotten curve and embark on a challenging one.