If you flip the pages of history, you’ll find that several great artists, inventors, and scientists were self-taught.
For instance, Henry Ford never went to college, and the Wright brothers never graduated from high school.
Although you’ll be taught plenty of things in school, you won’t be taught how to learn.
Knowing the best methods of self-learning is of paramount importance.
However, the process is difficult, stick around to find out why.
Ultimately, you’ll find self-learning difficult due to a lack of motivation. Several people consider self-learning difficult because psychological studies have proven that people prefer to learn the things they already know or things they are good at. Moreover, as self-learning doesn’t involve any deadlines and competition – there is no consequence if you don’t learn something right.
This article will help you get crucial information on why self-learning becomes difficult for some people and why it matters so much.
An in-depth insight into the difficulties in self-learning can let you see what you’re doing wrong and help you correct them for a better tomorrow.
So, let’s start.
5 Reasons Why Self-Learning Can Be Difficult
Whether it’s getting started with a new subject, learning a new art form, or acquiring a new skill, self-learning can be difficult.
Here, we have tried to collate a few reasons why self-learning can become difficult:
1. Uncertainty of What to Learn
If you’re getting started with a new topic/subject, you may find it challenging to determine where to begin.
You may have these questions going around your mind:
- Which documents should I get started with?
- Which is an ideal course to complete?
- Is there anything relevant to my job?
It is you who has to determine what you have to/need to learn. In this process, you waste a lot of time learning unnecessary or irrelevant things while losing hold of the most crucial concepts.
2. Shortage of Time
The most significant barrier to self-learning that makes things difficult is the lack of time.
Amid the busy professional and personal life, it has become challenging for people to take out time for learning.
If you’ve got meetings, projects, and deadlines to meet, you won’t be in your best mental shape to read and learn new things later.
3. Lack of Motivation & Interest
If you ask any learning professional, you’ll get to know that their organization comprises individuals with different personality types.
Some individuals stay super engaged and positive and constantly seek out ways to enhance their skill set.
However, other individuals lack motivation and interest. Although these people may be good at what they do, they lack the drive to learn new things constantly.
Also, self-learning doesn’t involve any commitment or deadline to meet, which leads to no consequences if you don’t read or self-learn.
This takes away your motivation, and you go back to finding things difficult again.
4. Access To Numerous Options
Getting too many exciting and insightful resources can be highly beneficial to your goal of self-learning.
However, sometimes access to so many options can become a problem.
Things can become overwhelming when choosing between hundreds of training documents, tutorial videos, or online books and courses.
It can be frustrating to know which to begin with, and that might leave you demotivated.
5. Looking for The Easy Way Out
Another problem that leads people to face difficulty in self-learning is their mindset to opt for the easy way out.
If you’re really interested in learning, you’ll generally incline toward learning topics that you personally find engaging.
For instance, if you’re way more into sports, you’ll spend more of your free time learning about sports.
Only a handful of people like you (who like sports) will decide to spend their spare time reading about topics like, say, cooking.
The same thing applies to self-learning at work. It becomes challenging to learn new things as you naturally seek to learn things or topics related to work that you’re interested in.
Although it’s helpful and good that you’re still learning, you’re not learning everything related to your work efficiently.
Being selective will only leave you a handful of growth opportunities, discouraging you from reading again.
This ultimately makes you find self-learning difficult the next time.
-> Read Also What Is An Autodidact?
Self-Learning: Why Does It Matter So Much?
Self-learning is essential as it helps you improve your life and become a better person every day.
If you wish to enjoy thriving relationships with others, you’ll need to master communication skills, learn social skills, and how people think.
When it comes to a successful career, you’ll have to learn all about your profession.
You’ll have to self-educate yourself about the latest technologies used at work, stay updated on research and follow up on the tech-friendly trends.
Self-learning is also essential to leading a meaningful life. Passive achievements are not something that would give you the greatest joys in life.
It’s something you’d get from deciding on a goal and knowing how to achieve it.
The more you know about things, the more you’ll enjoy them.
To understand how to learn is to know how to create the thing you love to do or know about in life.
Remember that.
5 Ways To Make Self-Learning Easier Than Ever
Although self-learning can seem difficult at first, it becomes easier over time. When done correctly, self-learning can be a highly effective learning tool at your disposal.
Whether you want to explore and learn about a new topic or prepare for a test, self-learning is essential and beneficial.
To practice self-learning successfully and overcome the hurdles or difficulties, follow the tips given below:
1. Realistic Goals
If you want to create self-learning habits, you’ll have to set realistic work goals that can easily fit into your life schedule.
You can begin with assignments. Start assigning yourself one or two chapters a night to read.
You must set the number of chapters or topics while adjusting your workload and giving your brain some time to rest.
2. Know What Works Best For You
Although there are plenty of ways for self-learning, it’s crucial to adjust your learning methodologies to find what works best for your brain.
For instance, some people read aloud, whereas others take handwritten notes instead of typing.
You can pick any methods that work best for your brain and stick with them.
3. Review Materials
You must re-read and review what you learned on the same day. If you read another chapter from an online resource or book, ensure to review all the new things you learned to help it resonate.
You can either type it as notes, read it over again, or practice any new skill.
Although it may seem boring, it will only take less than an hour or even less.
This will not only help you with the long-term absorption and retention of materials but also sharpen your memory.
4. Short Frequent Sessions
Self-learning comes with no deadline, so there’s no need to rush. Instead of considering your self-learning sessions to be race, divide your study material into different topics and learn them in an interval of short sessions.
This will keep you away from constantly staring at the computer or book for too long and help your brain absorb and retain things easily.
However, when it comes to self-study and learning subject matter, it’s best to learn things in short, frequent sessions.
5. Study Environment
If you’re self-learning remotely, you must ensure to create a self-study space.
By keeping aside a table or desk, which is an ideal study environment, you’ll get the vibe to learn something new.
Whether you’re looking for new resources to learn something out of curiosity or learning things for an upcoming exam, self-learning will open the door to opportunities for your academic and career path.
Here’s a quick look at the essential aspects that you need to know.
| Difficulties | Solution | How To Proceed | Time To Devote |
| Not having a clue of what to learn | Set realistic goals and focus on them | Start assigning yourself one or two chapters a night to read. | 30 minutes every day |
| Lack of motivation | Know what works best for you | Read aloud or take handwritten notes instead of typing | 30-35 minutes every day |
| Getting access to multiple resources | Learn in short, frequent sessions | Divide the resources into different topics and learn them in short sessions | 30 minutes every day |
| Opting for the easy way out | Re-read and review what you learned on the same day. | Type it as notes, read it over again, or practice any new skill. | 20-30 minutes every day |
-> Learn More about Self-Learning vs. Classroom Learning: Which Is Better?
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the disadvantages of self-learning?
Some of the disadvantages of self-learning are no discipline, peripheral benefits, or face-to-face interaction.
Also, there will be a lack of flexibility and input from mentors.
There will be a slow evolution, and you won’t find the motivation to accomplish your goals sometimes.
Can self-learning be effective?
Yes, self-learning can be effective as the advantages of self-learning outweighs the disadvantages. It helps to boost your self-confidence, motivation, and sense of independence and increases your options.
With online resources, books, and a proper, disciplined schedule, you can get the best out of self-learning.
What is the most effective technique of self-learning?
The most effective self-learning technique has a clear focus on your goals and sheer will to learn. Nothing makes your brain go pumped up as novelty does.
So, take advantage of that by collaborating your knowledge with the goal.
-> Learn more about the 7 best websites for self-learning
Conclusion
So, we hope that this guide will help you get a little more clarity on the topic. This world has an ocean full of knowledge that you can utilize.
With technology, you can find and learn whatever you want just with a click.
So, why not take advantage of that? Get the best out of it, and make your never-ending journey of self-learning better than ever.
Happy Learning!
