Where children attend classes led by teachers for the goal of good grades, adults need to develop their own structure for learning, driven by their own motivation and goals. And that’s where many people tend to struggle. How do you stay curious and keep growing in a fast-changing industry like datacenters? Here are my top tips:

What kind of learner are you?

I often hear, ‘I’m too old to learn that’. Whether it’s staying relevant in this fast-changing industry or unlocking new opportunities, learning isn’t just about skills—it’s about confidence, adaptability, and future-proofing your career. The first step is believing YOU can learn and grow, regardless of your status in life. Depending on who you talk to, there are 4-8 different kinds of learners, understanding how you learn best can optimise your time spent learning and maximize your impact. Are you an auditory learner – would podcasts be a way to consume new information? Or are you visual? Do presentations or reading suit you best? Do you learn better in groups or independently? There are plenty of resources available to fit your learning style, so figuring this is the first step.

Discipline > Motivation

Once you know how you best learn, the next step is to actually commit. And here’s where discipline becomes critical. Without a formal school setting in place, it can be difficult for many to learn new information in adulthood. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed. So key tips:

• Start small—even 15 minutes a day adds up. Set that time aside by blocking off time in your calendar. Consistency is the key! I have time every day to read the headlines, so I stay informed on key trends happening in the industry. If reading is not your preferred method, perhaps podcasts are. Find what works for you: repetition, writing it down, talking it out with someone.
• Break down projects into smaller tasks. For example, I set an annual target for reading books, which then is broken down to a monthly target. You could even go as far as breaking it down more: need to read a 200-page book? Read 20 pages every day for 10 days. For that same reason we developed the OCP training modules to be completed in under 10 minutes, so you can tackle the information in your own time.
• Leverage your resources! Upload whitepapers or documents into your favourite AI tool to get summaries or build custom learning pathways. But remember, AI is only one part of the whole process.
• Check off tasks as you complete them. I use tools like todoist and Trello to track progress and set deadlines. Reward yourself after completing a set number of tasks boost motivation.

Work your Network, Invest in You

When I see or hear something of interest that I want to learn more of, I always look to my network to see if anyone I know is an expert that could spare 30 minutes to chat. Often, people are more than happy to share their knowledge and answer questions when your passion align with theirs. I also invest time and money in personal coaching and attending industry events. This level of commitment becomes essential to build new skills, gain new knowledge, and become more valuable to my clients.

The adage ‘can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ is nonsense. With technology and AI fundamentally changing the world today, we all need to stay curious and embrace lifelong learning. At Momenthesis, we deliver our workshops with adult learners in mind – to keep teams engaged and build a vision that is actionable and goal oriented. Ready to put these principles into action? Schedule a call to see how Momenthesis can help your team embrace lifelong learning in their everyday.