Identify your personal learning project with this simple exercise

Yesterday, I shared that a personal learning project is an intentional effort to address an identified knowledge gap.

Today, we’re going to find a knowledge gap you want to close.

You’ll need a spreadsheet tool or index cards and a timer. Set aside about 20 minutes of distraction free time for the full exercise.

Part One: Identify Possibilities

1. Set a timer for 10 minutes.
2. Open your digital file or grab your stack of index cards/post its and something to write with.
3. Read the following three prompts. As soon as you think of a response to a prompt, start your timer and capture that response. Write each response on a separate line of your spreadsheet or on a separate index card/post it. Continue responding to all three prompts for the full 10 minutes.
4. My life would be better if I knew how to…
5. I have always wanted to learn…
6. I feel like I can’t move ahead because…

Don’t stop trying to come up with new ideas for the full 10 minutes. If you get stuck, read back through your list and see if other new ideas pop out. Or as you read back through your list, see if you can break down a really big topic into smaller topics.

After the timer goes off, it’s time to group and prioritize.

Part Two: Group and Prioritize

Group similar items together. What does similar mean? That’s completely up to you. Group things together in a way that makes sense to you.

Which group feels most important and urgent to you? From this group, choose your learning project.

Tomorrow, we’ll focus on clarifying the goal of your learning project.

Read this post and more on my Typeshare Social Blog