Experiential Learning
Updated: Mar 24
January 6, 2023
As 2022 drew to a close, Facebook showed me a post I had written in 2016, and it reminded me of something I had realized at the close of that year.
“The less you do something, the less you want to do it.”
At the beginning of 2016, I decided not to shop for clothes for one year. Guess what? I did it! It was the first time in my life that I stuck to a new years resolution. At the end of the year, I found that I had lost the desire to shop. The excitement of “what do I need” didn’t wash over me anymore when I walked into a store. And I’m not talking about just clothes. It spilled into all other areas of shopping too. As I sat with the newfound realization I’d gained from my personal experience, I more fully recognized the immense truth of the opposite idea too.
"The more you do something, the more you want to do it."
It ties in with the law of momentum; which says that change can't happen without movement. So, the more I do something, the more I want to do it, and the more likely I am to keep putting in the effort. And with that effort and action, change is more likely to happen.
I need to do things consistently to gain momentum in any area of my life. And each day I'll have more desire to do the little things that make a big difference. This means I’ll have the impetus to move forward both physically and mentally. It helps get my mind on board when my body gets moving and does what I need to do. It's a balance of the mental and physical.
I had heard this concept of the law of momentum before, but the experiment I did in 2016 is what I needed to learn the concept more fully. I looked at the idea from the other side; by taking something away. It didn’t begin as an experiment, but in the end, it provided me with the valuable data I needed to show myself what works in my life. It also showed me why it’s essential to integrate and try out new ideas, concepts, and skills if I want to improve and enjoy work and life more fully.
During The Vibrant Hive™ Workplace Coherence & Communication Training I integrate experiential learning. Experiential learning is where participants learn, then immediately apply what they're learning to work by working through actual challenges. Then after the training session, they integrate tools and concepts learned to their work, and practice between training sessions. That’s where the consistency comes in. And over time, they transform and achieve the changes they’ve always wanted because they’ve created a healthy habit that moves them forward.
We don’t learn by just listening; we learn more fully by doing. And that’s why experiential learning is so effective. It always amazes me how much of a shift is possible in a relatively short time when we learn, apply concepts we learned to our work, and then practice.
As you look at work and your personal life, which aspects could benefit from experiential learning?
Author:
Monica Binger
Workplace Coherence & Communication Specialist
Executive Leadership Coach
monicabinger.com