When we think about the Learning theme of THPL there are so many elements to it that as a category it can be, at times, hard to focus on what matters. I think, though, that after many years of pressing harder and harder on “learning” one of my takeaways is that we should focus on how to get better at pattern recognition. This is important because the brain is natively great at receiving information but it becomes more powerful and effective when it creates patterns. This is important because patterns can:
- Allow us to make accurate predictions of particular results – or make educated guesses.
- Make many common assumptions based on recurring patterns.
- Aid in developing mental skills. Understanding patterns can provide a clear basis for building problem solving skills. Patterns can provide a clear understanding of relationships and outcomes that result from them.
And as you think about our THPL lives, we do a lot of repetitive activities, we hang with really smart / talented people and we find what they do well and we repeat what works. Effectively we set ourselves up to be good pattern recognizers and users. So every chance we have we should put ourselves in situations, where we can observe behaviors, actions, insights, and we can consider them the fuel that creates patterns when we apply the best of what our brain can do!
Loving life with patterns