The Value of "Un-Learning"

131 followers

Updated 5 years ago

It's Alright to Admit what We Don't Know . . .

There is so much information and announcement of achievement - especially online achievements and accomplishments - that it's easy to feel overwhelmed when one begins the online marketing and business building journey. And when considering what one needs to do in order to build a successful business, aside from a lot of focus, and a little goof fortune, it will be doubly important to admit the need to learn as much as possible to have the best potential for the success that we all seek.

I've been involved with some effort of online marketing for several years. I have previously owned other websites, that I have lost simply because I let the subscriptions lapse . . . for a number of reasons. Over the years of my "experience" with online marketing and entrepreneurship, one most important lesson I have learned is that all of what I know and have done might not weigh in a whole lot when it comes to starting out in online marketing.

How far from the truth!

Sometimes, we who are "professional" in other pursuits, feel that we can just jump into the online marketing sea, and achieve success just like everyone else . . . .

Having achieved what we have in the "brick & mortar" world may lead us to assume that we can just open a web page and make those thousands of dollars a day so we can buy that Ferrari in a few months. The reality is that - at least for me and I can probably safely assume for others - being an online entrepreneur demands just as much or maybe more focus and discipline than working in the office or any other enterprise.

We generally achieve success in our everyday activities due to a sense of sustained and consistent processes that are in place. For example, we arrive to work at certain hours and leave and certain hours. We eat lunch at prescribed times. Our daily activities are structured around pockets of meetings, customer or colleague engagement and interaction and other work-related "stuff."

So, when we jump into online business building, the first culture shock is the demand for extreme self-discipline on top of everything else. How much time to spend each day? What tasks to define and complete to achieve a step closer to something significant if we want to build a business or business presence? Where are the scams and rip-offs to avoid? And so many other questions will bombard our minds until many of us just give up.

Our achievements and skill sets are very valuable, but in the online marketing world there are other skill sets and knowledge that we will have to learn about, practice and become quite comfortable with in order to have the potential for any level of success.

Learning to Unlearn

Learning to unlearn does not mean that we are stupid on unable to achieve success. Unlearning - at least to me - simply means that I should place my previous knowledge and habits on kind of a back burner, no matter how professional I may consider myself, at least for a while. With unlearning, we will focus on acquiring new ways to process content, build new habits, and develop a different focus that interfaces with the fluid nature of online marketing and business building. Remember, building a business online is no different from building a business in any other environment . . . a lot of guts, fortitude, a sprinkling of courage.

As we accept the challenge - and opportunity - to unlearn, the potential exists for not only new learning, but also increased opportunities for growth and success. The initial success will be in acknowledging the need to re-focus on a new path that meets the criteria for our online entrepreneural adventures.

Suggested Tips for an Unlearning Process

The following suggestions are from my personal experience. As we all go through this process, or for those who have done something similar to this, other useful techniques might also be available. Please feel free to add in comments following this post.

Acknowledge our need to unlearn in order to learn.

We all know how "they" always say, 'half of a solution is recognizing that there is a problem,' and other nifty slogans.
To recognize that we may need to turn off our knowledge achievement valve in order to allow a new flow of ideas, skills, and habits will be a key in moving forward for success.

Be prepared to change

Sometimes, our greatest challenge to success is our willingness to change and our commitment to implement change in our life, habits and focus
Unlearning may reveal the possibilility . . . the opportunity . . . to implement new changes in how we view opportunities, how we structure processes, and how we move toward building success.

Set a zero point to begin the learning process

Our "zero point" can best be described as that point where we start to learn, or relearn those concepts and habits to help us achieve a success motion in our quest for online business development and success.
For example, my 'zero point' is my commitment to Wealthy Affiliate learning programs because they give me a chance to put everything I previously learned about online marketing in to a proper perspective so I can begin to learn in a more structured and progressive way.

Learning must be step-by-step

Baby steps!!
Take it easy!
One foot in front of the other - conceptually speaking, of course!
Keep - It - Simply - Simple

Be patient as we progress

Our egos and our comfort of smooth processes will get the best of us on occasion. Then we would want to skip through content, or jump over steps, etc.
Wealthy Affiliate helps us in brining that focus at the end of each lesson to complete specific tasks . . .
Do it . . . Get it done . . . Take the time to get it right.

Apply what we have learned in a practical situation as soon as possible

Again, the benefit of our processes with WA, but whatever learning we engage with, we need to try to apply the new concepts to our actualy business building as soon as possible so it will make sense.
Also we get the chance to make a print of the new habit in our minds, and as we practice, it becomes easier.

Build on a good foundation

Just like building a house . . . . 'nuff said!

Celebrate all successes no matter how small

The feeling a success in our endeavor - no matter how small - is an amazing feelilng. Celebrate that feeling with that pat on your back.
Then get back to work!