Lifelong learning? About 365 days a year!

Extracurricular activities and chances for growth

We all would like to be the best version of ourselves, sometimes even to become the ‘local heroes’, or ‘just’ to stand out of – against the crowd, right? “A good priest learns until death” says the Hungarian proverb, reflecting on how we inevitably learn and learn and learn until the very last day of our lives – the stress is not so much on the how but rather on the what. The school system indeed has a vital part in this, especially the early stages of our lives (Macintyre, 1981; Noddings, 2005), but after the first 2 – 3 decades (and even during those years) it is also crucial what we choose to do during our free time. For most of our lives choosing an activity and spending (quality) time with something (or someone) will show not only what kind of people we are but also will have an impact on our character (optimally positively, if chosen and executed wisely). Sometimes even the ‘less educative silly habits’ (at least for first sight) have the value to transform into something greater if the right attitude and effort is given (see earlier). What values you see in a given situation is based on personality: in most of the cases it is not just a simple book or TV show but can be a gateway to a very different world with all the knowledge already collected and available for you for ‘free’ (but we know nothing is free nowadays, right? – it might not cost money but it will surely cost your time, for example).

“I believe in one day at a time; you’ve got TODAY, that’s what you’ve got.”

Al Pacino       

“You only get to live each day once, so make it count.“

Navya Veeragandham

Just a few examples of (surprising?) everyday activities which considered to be ‘trendy’ and also has an educational potential – even with just a ‘few’ minutes a day:

Sports – possible benefits: Healthy body – healthy mind: the winning mentality, sportsmanship, teamwork, respect, humility, determination, discipline and resilience

Books & Reading – possible benefits: New information, moral values, language skills plus cognitive and creative skills – imagination

Travelling – possible benefits: Faith in ourselves (and in others), sense of humor, responsibility, independence, adaptability, and also broadened horizons

Events & Volunteering – possible benefits: A once in a lifetime experience and opportunity, plus a great chance for personal growth and social connectedness

Films / Series & Video Games – possible benefits: Structured time with friends/family – sharing the joy, moral & social values, better / quicker decision-making and enhanced visual perception

We are ideally learning from time to time, day to day – each decision and occasion offering a different kind of a lesson – take it or leave it – that’s then totally up to us!

School years likely end one day, but life goes on and as the environment changes so do we (and learning). What is common in successful people is that they tend to build everything around their dreams, but that does not necessarily mean giving up on their time with friends, freetime activities or interests. They are usually able to find a way to connect these habits with their goals (or the other way around; choosing the habits which fits to their goals?), synchronizing and harnessing the benefits of  different combinations of work and freetime related activities, effectively using nearly all 24 hours of the day – just look at the example of Cristiano Ronaldo’s (five Ballon d’Or winner footballer) or Mark Zuckerberg’s (co-founder, chairman and CEO of Facebook (Meta)) unique daily routines. 

Although different settings have different norms and different stimuli, the learning curve is quite the same and all added together at the end of the day. These examples listed, and many many other forms of our ‘simple everyday choices’ with time can easily become habits that last for a lifetime all which as noted by Crossan et al. (2016) by their repetitive nature not only taking time (from other more important(?) things), but also can directly affect our development (positively or negatively), not only once, but each time, many times, becoming an integral part of our lives and a potential platform (holding unique lessons) for everyday – lifelong learning, on the long road of becoming the best possible versions of ourselves.

Think about what and who you choose to spend time with a day… 

At first, it might seem like an insignificant choice, but it does matter! 

A day? What about each day for a year? That’s 365 days!

Life can be challenging, but it is also beautiful with many opportunities, it is never too late to choose wisely and act accordingly!

Sources:

– Commission of the European Communities. (2006). Adult learning: It is never too late to learn. COM(2006) 614 final, Brussels.

– Crossan, M., Seijts, G., & Gandz, J. (2016). Developing Leadership Character. Oxfordshire: Routledge.

– Department of Education and Science. (2000). Learning for Life: Paper on Adult Education. Dublin: Stationery Office.

– García, H., & Miralles, F. (2017). Ikigai. London: Penguin Publishing Group.

– González-Pérez, L. I., & Ramírez-Montoya, M. S. (2022). Components of Education 4.0 in 21st century skills frameworks: systematic review. Sustainability, 14(3), 1493. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031493 

– Griszbacher, N., Kemény, I., & Varga, Á. (2022). The Echoes of Our Favourite Childhood Figures: Examining the Role of Disney in Lifelong Character Development Through Its Generational Fairy Tales. GiLE Journal of Skills Development, 2(2), 51–72. https://doi.org/10.52398/gjsd.2022.v2.i2.pp51-72

– London, M. (2011). The Oxford Handbook of Lifelong Learning. Oxford Library of Psychology.

– Macintyre, A. (1981). After Virtue: a study in moral theory. Notre Dame, IN, University of Notre Dame Press.

– Noddings, N. (2005). The challenge to care in schools: An alternative approach to education (2nd ed). New York, NY: Teachers College Press. 

– skillsyouneed.com. (n.d.). Lifelong learning. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/lifelong-learning.html 

– 360Learning.com (n.d.). What is lifelong learning, and why should you turn employees into lifelong learners?. Retrieved November 29, 2022, from https://360learning.com/guide/learning-theories/lifelong-learning/