George Washington Carver’s life had an inauspicious beginning. Likely born into slavery in 1864, he was raised by his former owners, Moses and Susan Carver. It was Mrs. Carver who taught young George to read and write, igniting within him the spark of learning.

Carver’s thirst for knowledge was fueled by his belief in God. He once stated, “I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.” Additionally, Carver asserted, “Since new developments are the products of a creative mind, we must therefore stimulate and encourage that type of mind in every way possible.”

This combination of wonder and creativity led Carver to become an inventor and agricultural scientist. Most famously, Carver discovered over three-hundred uses for the peanut.

Carver’s life teaches an important truth for all learners: learning doesn’t occur by accident. Rather, learning requires diligence, perseverance, and a long-term perspective.

Last week, we discussed character as the foundation of learning. Today, we’ll look at how you can develop a personal plan for learning. This plan begins with four practical strategies.

1. Craft a Plan for Growth

Hope is not a strategy for growth. Instead of mere hope, you must understand where you are, where you need to go, and how to get there. A plan begins with the right questions:

• Where do I need to grow?
• What skills do I need to add to my skill set to be more well-rounded and effective where I am?
• Which areas of work and study am I interested in?
• What talents, resources, and abilities has God given me?

After asking the right questions to yourselves and trusted friends and family members, craft a plan with two more questions.

• Who can hold me accountable to learn?
• What mentors, books, courses, experiences, and podcasts can teach me what I need to know?

2. Seek out Learning Opportunities

Here’s the key to always learning: surround yourself with people who know more than you do. Once you find an individual who knows more than you in a specific area, have a conversation. While a conversation can happen in person, it can also occur with an author or podcast.

Lifelong learners don’t wait for learning opportunities to come along; they take the initiative. As a young man, John C. Maxwell had the opportunity to meet with legendary coach John C. Wooden. This opportunity came only after Maxwell asked a teacher the question, “Who do you know that I should know?”

In addition to conversation, learning opportunities also come in life experiences. A new work opportunity, an internship, a conference, or a trip can provide needed growth.

3. Filter, Record, Reflect

For one year, a family friend kept a learning notebook. Each day, she recorded the following three items: (1) who she met, (2) one interesting fact about that person, and (3) what she learned from them. By year’s end, she had accumulated a wealth of insight.

In reality, simply living life doesn’t necessarily make you wiser. We don’t always learn from experience, but we do learn from evaluated experience. As John C. Maxwell observed, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”

Consider journaling five minutes a day, or conducting a personal review at the end of each week and month.

You could also discuss with a friend or family member the key things you’ve learned that week or day. Ultimately, you never know when the skill or knowledge you learned might prove valuable.

4. Honestly Assess Yourself

Lifelong learner Benjamin Franklin once said, “The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance.” Truly, those who cannot be honest with themselves can never grow. Ask yourself these growth questions:

• Today, what am I learning?
• Tomorrow, what do I need to learn?
• Who can I learn from? How can I learn?
• Where am I in growing in all domains of life? What do I need to learn to be better glorify God in each area?

Asking trusted friends to critique your strengths and weaknesses requires humility, but the perspective is invaluable. In the end, the humblest people are those who’ve learned enough to realize how much they have left to learn.

The Purpose of Learning

The point of learning is not to simply amass as much knowledge as possible. Rather, the purpose of learning is to acquire the right knowledge that will improve your God-given talents so you can be a versatile tool in the Master’s hands.

While some will seek knowledge in order to build and expand their own fleeting empires, God has called us to something greater. Will you use knowledge and wisdom in order to advance God’s kingdom?

Question: How can we use learning to advance God’s kingdom?