I’ve been buying a lot of courses lately, and while I always look forward to the learning experience, sometimes I don’t get as much as I could out of it.
I don’t know about you, but for me the leadup to taking a new course can be a little like an adrenaline rush. All those new possibilities can trigger excitement and anticipation. And, if the course includes friends in your niche, it may also feel a bit like an invitation to a party of sorts. If you’re not careful, you could confuse taking a course with being entertained. Don’t lose the benefits of the course by failing to actively participate in what’s going on.
Here are 4 tips for getting the most out of your learning experience:
Tip #1 – Take lots of notes
Notetaking is an important task for learning new content. When taking notes, think about your unique business and how the content applies to your market and your goals. Translate the information for your needs to ensure you’re applying it directly to what you are trying to do.
Most course materials these days come with transcripts as well as the original videos. I love this feature because it means I can read and if I want to reference something later, I don’t have to scroll through a video trying to find the exact spot.
I can also take notes right on the transcript to remind me of what stood out as important for my business in the lessons.
Tip #2 – Review your notes and make plans to implement
Your notes should highlight the content that feels most relevant to your business goals. Review your notes about the content and how it applies to your business. Start to lay out plans for how you’re going to implement what you’re learning into your business
A mindmap is a really good tool for this. I always found them a bit scattered and confusing, but the older I get, the more I need that visual plan of what I need to do. I took Angela Wills’ Mindmap Everything* course, and when she explained how she uses it to outline courses it made a whole lot more sense for me.
Try putting all the ideas you get from your course material into a mindmap and see if it helps you get more out of your learning experience.
Tip #3 – Set goals for your new projects
Come up with projects, goals, and ideas that implement what you’ve learned. This is a key step that I see so many people miss. They learn and learn, and never do anything with what they’ve learned. Don’t let that be you.
Set time frames to keep you motivated and prevent you from stalling. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Focus on small steps you can take to get the biggest results in the end.
Tip #4 – Ask questions and get clarification when you need to
The whole purpose of taking a course is to learn new material to help you achieve your business goals. During the course, you likely have the greatest access to instructors or coaches that support the material. Making goals and asking questions during the course keeps you from floundering later on your own. It can also help you get assistance while the content is fresh in your mind.
It helps to remember that your course leader is human too. Getting engagement, feedback, and participation in a course helps them feel more confident and encouraged to deliver their best content. The more active you are the better it makes the course for everyone. You may be asking questions someone else is thinking too. In the end, active participation in a course makes the best use of your time and investment and gives you the best learning experience possible.
Final Thoughts
There are always ways to get more out of the actual learning experience when you take an online course or workshop. By taking notes, being engaged with the content, and implementing what you’ve learned, you’ll go a long way to creating something for your business from what you’ve learned. Setting goals, mindmapping them out for a visual of the big picture, and asking questions when you need to will all help to move you forward in your journey to building your creative business.
Note: Links marked with an * are affiliate links and I will earn a commission should you click through and make a purchase.