Learning is not a question of age

Many people relate learning to a specific age. But learning does not happen at schools only.

It is not only about your cognition, but it is also the hunger for learning, your curiosity, your inner drive, and motivation. Learning is not age specific.

Lifelong learning is the new standard

With digitization lifelong learning becomes a necessity. The half-life value of acquired knowledge is continuously shrinking so learning and staying up to date becomes exponentially more relevant.

Do not get me wrong. I am not talking about learning everything about apps or new software so that a computer cannot replace your job. The fact is digitization is unstoppable. You can decide not to participate, but then it will simply happen without you and you will be left out.

Digitization is not your enemy

At the same time, you do not have to fight digitization. Digitization is not your enemy. It is more like a new evolutionary step we must take and can take. It brings new possibilities, behaviours, and points of view with it but it cannot replace emotions and the emotional quotient (EQ).

This is what all humans have a natural talent for. So, it makes sense to invest in this natural potential which lies within each and every one of us. Now you might ask yourself what the EQ is.

What is EQ?

Emotional Intelligence describes the ability or capacity to perceive, assess, and manage the emotions of one’s self, and of others. It relates to the ability to slip into the other’s position and point of view emotionally and to guess what will come up.

How can you bring your EQ- abilities to the next level?

1.           

1. Do not judge emotions to be good or bad – they are what they are.
2. Take a closer look at where your emotions lead you.
3. Feel your emotions physically.
4. Face your own discomfort.
5. Unleash whoever or whatever is your personal trigger.
6. Pause and ask yourself why you are behaving like you are right now.
7. Check yourself.
8. Recognize yourself and your emotions in books, movies, and music.
9. Ask for feedback.
10. Get to know yourself during stressful times.

As you can see it is a very complex topic. Too complex to discuss it fully in just one blog article. But I think that you can see the relevance of it. And that is why it will play an important part at the Spring Academy 2019.

At school, a topic like EQ can be approached by classes and subjects like ethics, anthropology, or maybe even religion. But none of them can fully cover the topic.

Learning is for everyone

Access to new knowledge should not be a question of age, neither of financial position nor of social background. Learning and education are for everyone and they are a necessity to be well prepared for the future. We and our children will get along with digitization if we walk beside it and if we cover the occurring emotional needs.

By Petra