The Infinite Learner's Advantage: Unlearn, Learn, Relearn Your Way to Career Success
Picture this: It's your first day at a new job. You're handed a stack of manuals and told "Here's what you need to know. Learn this, and you're set." A one-and-done learning experience to master your role.
Sound familiar? Probably not, because that's not how careers work anymore.
As Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis, authors of The Squiggly Career, put it: "Where we once went to work to learn to do a job, learning now is the job." Mind. Blown. 🤯
In a world where job descriptions are constantly shape-shifting and career paths look more like a game of Chutes and Ladders than a straight climb up the corporate ladder, the ability to continuously unlearn, learn, and relearn has become our most valuable career asset.
Don't just take my word for it. Reid Hoffman, the mastermind behind LinkedIn, says when he's sizing up founders to invest in, he looks for those with an "infinite learning curve" - the insatiably curious, lightning-fast learners. And Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's advice? "The learn-it-all will always do better than the know-it-all." Preach. 🙌
But here's the plot twist: It's not just about stuffing more knowledge into our brains. Tupper and Ellis argue that to thrive in today's "squiggly" career landscape, "the ability to unlearn, learn, and relearn is vital for long-term success."
So how do we become infinite learners, constantly unlearning the obsolete, learning the new, and relearning how to apply our strengths? Here are a few power moves:
Turn your daily grind into a learning lab
Your 9-5 is a gold mine of growth opportunities, if you've got the right mindset. Try having monthly "curiosity coffees" with someone in a totally different role to get a fresh take on things. Or consciously experiment with a new tool or approach and keep a log of your "aha" moments. Bonus points for starting a skill-share with your team where everyone takes turns being the teacher.
Marie Kondo your mental models
Unlearning is about ditching the "best practices" that have passed their expiration date to make room for the new and improved. Surround yourself with people who challenge your assumptions. Track your default habits and pick a few to consciously unlearn and replace. And ask yourself crazy "what if" questions that push you to reimagine what's possible.
Flex your strengths in new ways
Your superpowers aren't set in stone - they need regular updates and new applications to stay relevant. Volunteer to use your skills on a project outside your usual scope. Ask for brutally honest feedback on how you could level up. And when the unlearning and relearning gets tough, keep a daily list of "micro-wins" to stay motivated.
The truth is, none of us can predict exactly where our squiggly careers will squiggle to next or what plot twists the future of work will bring. But by investing in our ability to nimbly unlearn, learn, and relearn, Tupper and Ellis argue, "we increase our readiness for the opportunities that change presents."
So embrace your inner infinite learner. Stay endlessly curious, courageously unlearn what's no longer serving you, voraciously soak up the new, and creatively reapply your strengths as the game changes. Because in a world where change is the only constant, the ability to continuously unlearn, learn, and relearn isn't just an advantage - it's a superpower. 🦸♀️🦸♂️
