Set Learning Intentions
Setting learning intentions can boost our desire and ability to learn, make us more persistent, and also make us enjoy ourselves in the process.
Goal setting is everywhere around us. By this point in your life, you’ve probably set various goals. Exercise three times a week, meet your quarterly targets at work and learn a new language.
You’ve also probably experienced how setting intentions for yourself improves the likelihood that you’ll make those things happen. What you might not know is that one of the areas in which this is most true is learning. Whether you’re leading a team for the first time or joining a challenging project, countless studies have shown that setting a clear learning intention can make the learning process more efficient, fun, and successful.
So why does the mere act of setting intentions have such a great impact on learning? It’s simple really. Our brains only have so much attention they can give. We live in a complex world with more stimuli than we can possibly process. Being purposeful with intentions helps us to cut through the noise and stay focused on what we’ve identified as personally important.
This focus helps us not only to envision a final outcome but also to navigate the learning journey, evaluating and changing course as needed. When you inevitably face a challenge or don’t succeed the first or second or third time, that energy you focused on your intention will help you find a way through that challenge and to continue onwards, and along the way, you will be more likely to enjoy the journey itself.
So whether you’re learning a new technical skill or learning to be a better manager, setting learning intentions will help you realize your vision, improve your experience, and make it meaningful, which makes the learning even more powerful.
How to set meaningful learning intentions
There are two specific, subtle ways in which we can frame our intentions — our direction forward — that support both our ability to learn and the likelihood that we’ll enjoy the experience.
- Focus on the journey
Prioritize the learning experience itself by framing your desired outcome as a learning intention rather than a performance goal.
Instead of focusing on a specific target, focus on
The process, Discovering and exploring new ideas, Our growth
- Link to meaning
Connect your learning experience to something personally meaningful.
Being able to see the task at hand as connected to something important to you is a powerfully different way to learn.
Questions you might ask yourself include
— When things get hard, what keeps me motivated?
— What makes me feel fulfilled and proud?
Neuroscience confirms that exploration and curiosity feel great — so setting and working on a learning intention should be fun!
Try it →
Your learning intention
I want to <explore/practice/discover/learn/etc.>
how to <insert a capability/skill/mindset>
because <insert something that’s meaningful/important to you>.
Bonus:
Mindsets can empower you or hold you back. Study after study confirms that everything from school achievement and job performance to life satisfaction, stress management, and even your physical health is driven, at least in part, by your mindsets. Now that you’re aware of the abundance of mindsets around you, why not choose the ones that serve you best?
Love this mindset:
“I do not know what the future holds, so the best way to succeed is to plan ahead but be flexible and curious as I go.”
Questions to reframe from fixed to growth
- How can this challenge be an opportunity?
- What could be possible if I learn and develop from this experience?
