Existing learning is incredibly powerful. It stays with people and becomes the lens through which further learning will be viewed. It becomes the reference through which new learning will be understood.

Sometimes it is little sentences people have once heard and which have become beliefs. Take for example sayings like “There is no gain without pain” or “The early bird catches the worm.” Such ideas contribute to the attitude individuals will develop. Often with a variety of nuances, a search for “early riser” quotes delivers a webpage with 156 quotes related to the theme!

Other learnings can be elements in one’s professional training. The first personality type model I learned to use was the Process Communication Model (PCM), all the other models I’ve seen since then find themselves confronted with PCM. Not in terms of quality, much more in terms of structure, objectives, or how to perceive the person. But also, through their differences. These often give a better understanding of the first model and sometimes make it hard to learn the new one as there is a necessity to unlearn.

And then, there are also patterns and metaphors. I’ve seen how these contribute to my learning reciprocally. I’ve seen this for example with golf and coaching. A lot of what I’ve learned to see with golf becomes usable in coaching and vice versa. Photography can also become such a player in my game of learning. That is, whenever I become curious about the next layer, and put aside what I know to work well.

Patterns one is attuned to always become visible in other disciplines, assisting one’s understanding.

Habits and beliefs enable routines and automatic thinking.

Differences remind us of the need for critical thinking.