by ohsohappytogether

Eight Great Ways to LEARN to Be a Kid Again

Most of us have taken at least one walk down the aisles of Toys "R" Us. There's no better place than a toy store to observe these truths: Learning is fun. Learning is kid stuff.

Kids are smart enough to reject anything they don't like, yet many of the most popular toys are dedicated to teaching them something new. Note the tremendous success of the LeapFrog® toys. They teach reading, writing and more, and kids love them.

No matter your age, abilities or income level, you can always be a learner. People who continue to grow and learn are happy - like kids. Here are eight great ways to keep that childlike grin on your face while you learn:

1. Fire Up Your Desire to Learn with Fun

At its best, learning is a form of entertainment. Next time you walk down the toy aisle, notice how many ways the educational toys make learning fun. They use music, color, pictures and physical interaction. How much more interesting is that than sitting for an hour listening to an important but dull lecture? No wonder the really great educational toys are so popular.

Studying a topic that interests you shouldn't require a double espresso to keep you from falling asleep. If that's happening, you might have the wrong instructor. Who needs that? Seek out trainers who know how to deliver a message with punch. Not only will you enjoy it more, you'll want to learn and you'll retain more of the information.

In my training seminars and conferences, I strive to provide a one-of-a-kind learning experience. I educate with entertainment - music, games, contests and humor. It's all connected to the topic I'm presenting, and the students' brains just soak it up. In the process, their careers are reignited, and so is mine.

Education should be entertaining. Commit to having fun while you learn.

2. Keep the Flame of Learning Alive with Variety

Advanced learning is essential. So is brushing your teeth. But just because learning is essential to your career, doesn't mean it has to be as monotonous as brushing your teeth.

Every day of my life I have fun reading at least one book and often have several open at one time. A few minutes of study on each book keeps my interest stimulated, I retain the material better and I often find myself synthesizing information from the various sources. I also listen to audio programs while driving. Not only is this a fun way to learn and improve myself, it also keeps me calmer and more relaxed in traffic. I tried watching videos, but that seemed to excite the other drivers.

No matter what the subject, you can find a variety of interesting ways to further your knowledge and expertise. Open a book. Listen to an audio presentation. Watch an educational video. Start a study group with other lifetime students.

The same principle applies to the teachers and mentors you learn from. Choose those who have something interesting to say and an interesting way of saying it. Don't hesitate to have more than one mentor with different experience and teaching styles for different subjects. While one-on-one personalized mentoring is ideal, you'll find a world of varied and specific information presented by excellent speakers on audio and video. The varied approaches will enable you to better absorb each subject from the most appropriate teacher and will keep you stimulated and eager to learn.

Learning shouldn't lull you to sleep. Commit to learning from a variety of teachers and choose the learning modes that keep you excited about learning every day.

3. Seek Out Teachers from the Trenches Who Make Learning Fast and Easy

In all my years of education, I've discovered that there are basically two ways to learn:

You can choose the hard way, figuring things out on your own by trial and error and making lots of mistakes. You'll do some of this anyway, but it's a slow path to success.

OR you can choose the easy way, learning from mentors who have already overcome any challenge you might encounter and already discovered the solution. The right mentor is eager to share those answers with you and set you on a smoother, easier road to knowledge.The best continuing education is immediate and applicable. Going back to college is not the way to change your life's work. Your best bet is to seek the fast-track education route to business success. You want a nontraditional program designed specifically to deliver the information you need in a form you can use immediately.

All teachers and training programs are not created equal. Learning shouldn't have to be an uphill struggle. Commit to finding the wildly successful

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