I am a slow learner…

…and always believed that to be true. It felt like anytime I sat down to read something new I never made any progress. It always felt like a waste of time.

However, I’ve been learning that slowness is something that can be embraced instead of dispised.

Here are some worrying thoughts that had prevented me from learning anything new:

  • It’s not worth it if I can’t learn quickly.
  • It’s not worth it because I see such little growth.
  • It’s not worth it unless I can set aside 2-3 hours per day.

Here are some calming thoughts that have helped me learn new concepts:

  • It’s worth it because I will at least learn something.
  • It’s worth it because I will see lasting growth.
  • It’s worth it even if I only have 15 minutes.

Here’s one of my favorite quotes that helped me to understand this concept:

“When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur… Not tomorrow, not the next day, but eventually a big gain is made. Don’t look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time. That’s the only way it happens – and when it happens, it lasts.”
-John Wooden

I tried to frantically learn new material quickly, which lead me to learn even less. I realized that I was missing not speed, but patience. Now I am starting to embrace that…

…I need to become a patient learner.