You can’t just read about push-ups

I recently took a back-to-back workshops/talks about health, specifically about “Healthy Aging” and “Mental Health First Responder”. And these talks got me to think more about my overall health and self-education.

With an increasing number of new technologies and an expanding global population, self-studying is on the rise. Education is no longer confined to just the classroom through the power of the internet in today’s interconnected society.

If you want to live the life you want, or if you want to grow and experience life to the fullest; You need to take your own education and learning in your own ways and with your own hands. Here are some tips for practicing successful self-education:

Believe you can do it - The first thing that I do is get rid of all the mental barriers. This is an important part in the process, because this is where it all begins.

Set realistic goals - In a way, know the end. Be specific on what you want to learn. Visualize what you want to achieve in the end.  What is it that you want to be? Do you want to learn just enough to get by, or do you want to be an expert at it? Setting work goals for yourself, ones that realistically fit in with your life and other commitments.

Find what works for you - There are many different ways to learn, and it is important to adjust studying techniques to find what works for your brain. Some students find reading aloud helpful, others like taking handwritten notes rather than typing. Discover whatever works best for you, and stick with it.

Some seek a mentor, others (like me) find experts on certain topics and listen to their talks or join their workshops. Or, do self-learning online via MOOCs or via google and youtube video how-to’s.

Lastly, EXECUTE - Apply what you’ve learned. Otherwise, then it’s useless?

Repeat - How much learning is enough? A high school diploma? A 3-year degree? A doctorate? For the self-teacher, these questions are likely less relevant, as learning never really ends. While a formal education will likely provide academic grounding in a certain field, autodidacts are likely to keep up with new developments and breakthroughs long after their formal education has ended.

'You can’t read about push ups. What makes you think reading inspirational quotes all day is gonna get you “there”. Go work and Do it.' - Gary Vaynerchuk

--

Here’s some tidbits of what I learned from Herbalife’s Healthy Aging talk:

There are 4 areas of concern for many older adults namely: Digestive, Heart, Bone and Eye Health. With a majority of Philippines’ workforce leading largely sedentary lifestyles, the Philippines need to take practical steps towards leading healthy, active lives through exercise and proper nutrition.

I know, it’s somewhat basic but these basic stuff can help us aging healthily. Just imagine You are 60 years old but you still look 10-20 years younger!

On Mental Health First Responder Training:

Mental Health First Response is a mental health crisis skills prevention & intervention workshop for Filipinos (general public) who want to gain valuable skills in mental health concerns and suicide intervention. I was able to learn to recognize the sign of emotional distress, apply universal mental-health crisis intervention to prevent suicide and many more!

--

Vernon Joseph Go is a Public Speaker, Content Creator and Author of the book “A Lazy Investor’s Way”.