Playfully accepting responsibility

This week's Discovery Exercise asks participants to use one of their test posts to create an entry about which habit among the 7 and 1/2 lifelong learning habits is easiest and hardest, & why.
The easiest learning habit for me is habit #2: Accept responsibility for your own learning.

I've always been a firm believer that I'm on my own when it comes to keeping up and staying relevant. It probably has a lot to do with my particular role in the library -- sort of a specialty "department of one." This kind of role gives you a lot of practice and, eventually, confidence.

The hardest learning habit for me is #7 1/2: Play.

There are some topics about which I have no problem playfully exploring. Gardening. Learning about new products that I'm interested in purchasing. Learning about a country I'm planning to visit.

But when it comes to honing a skill that could have some work benefit. Well, no matter what, it never feels completely like "play." And because my line of work is very deadline-oriented, I feel as though every action throughout my work day has to be focused on the super-fast-completion- of-a-project. It's very easy to convince oneself that it's easier/faster/more efficient just to "do it the old way," than to take the time to explore new options, play around with them, and eventually learn how to do something better.

But that's what makes Learning 2.0 so nice. (Go to main page.)