A Spectrum of Learning Systems

There is a spectrum of approaches when it comes to learning systems. The more deliberate and organized the system, the more effective it becomes. This post shares ideas on how you can make your learning system more deliberate and intentional, helping you accelerate your growth.

Each of us have a learning system, which I define as the set of things we do to try and learn. A learning system can be as informal as picking up knowledge by chance or as structured as following a carefully planned curriculum. 

If learning is a key value and a goal in your career, improving your learning system is important. 

Stage 1: Serendipity 

On the low end of the spectrum, we learn through serendipity. We take on projects and tasks at work. We get them done and learn through the process of day to day work.

Learning happens by chance. Some knowledge sticks, particularly concepts or skills we encounter repeatedly or that are immediately relevant to our work. 

However, the retention is often inconsistent, and without a deliberate system, much of what we learn fades quickly. This stage reflects the passive nature of learning where progress is slow, and growth depends on external factors.

Learning through serendipity is the baseline Learning Slope (the rate of learning over the course of the career). 

Stage 2: Dabbling 

The second stage of learning is a dabbling stage. We explore different topics without deliberateness or structure. 

Most knowledge workers fall in this stage. We listen to podcasts, read the occasional blog, and buy books we only partially read. While this exposure helps build a habit of learning, it often lacks focus. We may collect interesting ideas, but without a plan, it’s difficult to turn this information into long-term knowledge or mastery. 

Dabbling is like filling a bookshelf without actually studying any of the material inside it. We are in the shallow end but never dive deep where the real mastery is. For most of my career this is where I’ve lived. 

Dabbling is a good first step toward building a more robust learning system because it has moved us through the activation energy of building a learning habit. 

Many of us in this stage strive for more but find the motivation lacking to put together a more formal learning system structure. The major downside of this stage is inefficiency. We’re consuming material but it’s not going to stick well unless we create more structure in our system. 

Stage 3: Goal-Oriented

I’ve met a few learners in this stage where they have clear learning goals that they engage in on a regular basis. 

The goal-oriented stage is marked by more structure. The learner has a clear goal in mind on a topic they want to master. They read books, listen to podcasts, and study deliberately. 

These learners understand intuitively that learning takes work. They study and take notes. They dive deep into topics to understand the ins and outs. They can talk for hours about a subject they are studying deeply. 

Learning systems at this stage are organized and focused. Learners in this stage might create their own personalized syllabus, outlining books to read, courses to take, and topics to study. They often set timelines, create study plans, and track their progress over weeks or months. 

This deliberate approach turns learning into a project with clear goals, enabling deeper understanding and retention of information.

This is a key stage for moving form a worker bee to a true craftsman, mastering a craft as an expert. 

Stage 4: Active Application

The fourth stage is a continuation of the goal-oriented approach but takes learning to a deeper level by actively applying and testing your knowledge. 

This stage is where true mastery begins to take shape, as it challenges you to recall, use, and refine what you’ve learned in real-world or simulated environments. 

Active application can take many forms, including:

• Sharing your learning publicly, such as through blog posts or social media (#LearningInPublic)

• Writing a newsletter that forces you to synthesize and explain key concepts

• Quizzing yourself regularly to reinforce memory and test your understanding

• Solving problem sets or working through exercises related to your topic

• Presenting or teaching what you’ve learned in a workshop, webinar, or casual conversation

Learning systems in this stage incorporate structured practice and self-assessment. By actively applying knowledge and pushing yourself to use it in various contexts, you cement the material into long-term memory. 

This stage takes advantage of what learning science calls the testing effect—actively retrieving and applying information strengthens recall and highlights areas where you need to focus more attention.

Conclusion

In summary, understanding where you fall on this spectrum of learning systems is the first step toward growth. Whether you’re just dabbling or already goal-oriented, you can take deliberate steps to move to the next level. By structuring your learning system and incorporating testing, you’ll accelerate your progress and retain knowledge more effectively.

Take a moment to reflect: What stage are you currently in? How can you improve your system to make learning more effective and intentional?

#HappyLearning