How can I learn more?
Sharing thoughts from my private journal #3
So, I’ve come to realize that these days, my learning curve is not very steep. I have developed strong routines that allow me to write on a regular basis. So I do a lot of writing. But I also need interesting things to write about.
If I don’t continuously keep learning outside of the process of writing, then I eventually won’t have anything to share.
I will just become one of these writers, who only write about writing.
And that’s not really something, that I want.
So in this journal, I’m going to reflect upon the question of how I can bring more forms of learning into my life on a regular basis. What I can do, to continuously push myself to learn new things.
With that, I don’t mean learning in the conventional sense of ‘studying’ or ‘reading’. I am talking about learning through experience. Actively doing something, that requires a steep learning curve.
So let’s get right into it.
Random brainstorm of ideas:
- Building an experimental side business:
So, I’ve been thinking about this for a while. The idea here is to build a small and low-time intensive side business, that I can use to experiment around with different things.
Basically some kind of ‘work’ that I would do, when I am not writing.
The goal here wouldn’t really be to make a lot of money with that. Rather, it would be to experiment around with different income streams outside of writing, or which are complementary to writing.
And there is something, which has been on my mind for a while.
It is a very simple t-shirt online business. It would be t-shirts with little slogans written by me. Basically, I would try to compress the messages of my articles into easily understandable messages, print them on t-shirts, and sell them.
I find this to be an interesting little experiment, that shouldn’t take up too much time. Perhaps a week or two of some work here and there, and it would be ready to launch.
It would also….
… help me to simplify my messages.
… learn some basic design skills.
… force me to try some new platforms (e.g. Instagram) to sell these t-shirts.
2. Starting a coaching business
Coaching businesses are basically the easiest and least resource-intensive way for writers to monetize their knowledge. Essentially, it would mean taking my content, and putting it together in a coaching program.
It would allow me to have more direct contact with my target customers.
It would give me some interesting ideas on things to write about.
It would also provide for an decent and reliable income stream.
Problem with this (to me) is that I am not even 100% clear yet on what my whole business is actually about. Since I made the shift away from writing about intercultural communication 7 months ago, I haven’t 100% ‘found’ myself yet.
I have some vague ideas. Right now, I would summarize my niche as helping people through their struggle on the way towards success as creative entrepreneurs.
But I still have a long way to go, in terms of figuring things out.
Basically, I am not really sure whether or not I could provide enough value to potential clients, in order to make it worthwhile for them. And the least thing I want to do, is to destroy people’s trust in me as a creative.
3. Getting a pet
My partner and me have been talking about this for a while now. We are thinking about adopting a little baby (street) cat. Surely, this would give us a lot to learn about, as neither of us has experience with raising a cat.
It would basically be a way of helping an innocent little cat to have a better life, while also taking some responsibility for something outside of ourselves. Plus, it would also be fun and enjoyable.
But for us, there is a big catch to this.
We are going to be moving countries in a couple of months time. First of all, we are not sure how easy it would be to bring her. And if we are unable to bring her, then we would have to find a new home for her.
This would be an option, too. We would take her off the streets, take care of her for a while, and during that period of time, we would be looking for a new home for her.
But I am not really sure how good or bad it would be for her, to be moving around that much.
The last thing we want to do, is to make the situation worse for her, instead of making it better.
4. Getting deep into a completely new field of knowledge.
This is the one thing on this list, which is going to be around conventional study. I could get myself into a field of knowledge that I essentially know nothing about (e.g. biology) and try to go as deep as I can into it.
Sometimes, I love doing this.
It broadens your knowledge base. It pushes you out of your comfort zone. It allows you to make interesting connections between different fields of knowledge.
But right now, I am not quite sure about it. I already spend most of my time thinking/writing/researching. Getting deep into another field of knowledge, only would mean even more time researching.
This doesn’t really seem to suit my goals very well.
After all, my purpose here is to spend more time DOING stuff.
5. Starting a Youtube channel
I have a little bit of experience on teaching via video. For a while, I had a job as a German teacher for a language learning app. It could be interesting to expand on that experience by launching my own Youtube channel.
My main problem with this, is that it would require me to produce even more content. It would basically be the same thing as writing, only that now the content production is to be done in video format.
I will certainly do this one day.
But the question is, whether or not it would be the right time for that, now.
After all, I am still struggling with keeping up with my publishing schedule here on Medium alone. If I were to add another channel to this whole thing, then that could easily get to the point, where I do neither of them well.
Consequently, my tendency is to say no to this idea right now. If I would do it, as a little side hobby. I would not have a regular publishing schedule. And I would ignore growing it into something serious for the time being.
Some final thoughts:
All of these ideas would allow me to learn some new skills, while doing something productive and meaningful. The question I should ask myself now is: which is them is fitting my current living situation the most?
And I think that a little side-business (such as the t-shirt business) would be the best solution for the time being.
It would allow me to practice my skills in business/online marketing, while not taking up too much of my time.
I wouldn’t approach this with any particular expectations.
It would just be a way for me to learn something, while also building up a tiny little income stream on the side. And perhaps, it would even give me something interesting to write about.
One small change in my life, that might make a large difference one day.
This article is part of a series, in which I am journaling about specific questions that help me to improve my own life. Today I asked myself the question: “How can I learn more?”. It has been an interesting exercise for me — and I hope that you might take on the challenge, and do the same.
I found that journaling on specific questions on specific aspects of my life, is one of the best ways for me to propel myself into action and improve my life.
