Unlearn Yourself To Learn New

The world is progressing very fast.A specialist becomes novice in no time unless he constantly updates himself.However for the learning to be productive one has to first unlearn the old.Unlearning is also a step in learning.It is not about wiping out the existing knowledge but recognizing the old knowledge as old & learning to make use of new knowledge.Unlearning is required to avoid committing mistakes.It’s needed to get your assumptions & inferences right & in line  with the latest developments.Unlearning helps you to adopt a new way of thinking quickly.

In this information age what you learn need not be reliable & authentic.By learning to unlearn quickly,you can discard the unwanted knowledge soon to make room for the new.I know it sounds odd,but this will ensure your success in your professional life.Unlearning is necessary not just during technology updates,restructuring e.t.c but also for personal development innovation,creativity & other activities at the workplace also.

The Process 

Unlearning is not an easy process.Because you have to convince yourself that your skills are no more relevant & your success principles no longer hold true.You have to work on resisting doing things in your old ways.Also you have to change your beliefs & approach.Sometimes,you cannot identify even your old practices so as to replace them with the new. Especially, learning in the form of inferences, assumptions, opinions & beliefs go unnoticed,but do influence the future decisions subtly.This is what makes unlearning process more complicated.So to unlearn something you have to first identify all those in your mind associated with that subject.Once this is done you can start unlearning..

Steps to Unlearn Yourself

Learn What’s Different

We always begin with learning what is similar or unchanged between the old & new.This way your mind would continue to be turned to the old knowledge.Also by the time you learn the similarities,you might be left with no time to learn the differences.Thus the process is slowed down or limited.Instead if you focus on new & tune your mind to use it the old will cease to exist in both practice & memory.

Be Open

Be open to the new knowledge.Don’t hold any preconceived notations about what you could learn.This approach makes the unlearning process smoother because it will help you to grasp the new knowledge sooner,which will push the old & practises to the back.

Seek Guidance

Unlearning is easy if you take the help of more knowledgeable and experienced people.They can help you identify the areas where you have to unlearn & how you can do it.

To unlearn something you should primarily have the intention to do it.You should device easier ways to do it ,practice them with sincerity & pursue the process with enthusiasm,but not as a burden.As you master the skill of unlearning you become more flexible & adaptable.But to master it you should have to realise the importance of continuous learning & willing to be a learner again & again…

Image Credit : calumet

Please let us know What do you think about unlearning ? ?