How to increase your motivation to learn

One of the biggest reasons people decide to stop preparing for a test or examination is they lose their motivation to learn and that they stop finding the learning experience enjoyable. To make learning enjoyable, it definitely helps if motivation is more intrinsic (curiosity, search for solutions to a problem etc..) than extrinsic (career growth, bonus, passing exam etc…).

How do you improve motivation to learn?

1. Make it meaningful in real-world context

For instance, if you’re learning how to code, try creating a mini program putting into effect what you just learned. Let every lesson / session you undertake bring some meaning to you. This will ensure that your passion and motivation to learn is sustained for a long time.

2. Set realistic learning goals

Make sure you set milestones that you aim to achieve. This will invoke your innate sense of competition and ensure that you don’t slack off and lose focus. Keep in mind though, to keep your goals realistic. Unrealistic goals can demotivate.

3. Learn with someone

This can supplement points 1 and 2 in that a study group / partner can help you keep your motivation up, ensure that your learning is meaningful and also give you an atmosphere of (friendly) competition.

4. Teach!

Sometimes the best way to learn something and truly understand the intricacies of things is to teach what you’ve learned to someone else. This (also called the Feynman Method) ensures that all your assumptions are questioned and all your gaps in knowledge researched and fixed! Also doing something for someone else improves your passion for something and makes the entire learning process way more meaningful!

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