It’s tempting to think of learning as something we leave behind when we graduate from the classroom. But if we’re wise, we’ll cultivate a love of learning and the heart of a beginner for the rest of our lives.

You’ve probably heard the cliché: Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers. It’s overused for a reason. The best leaders know they still have so much to learn, and that reality excites them.

Here’s the problem: Most of us were never actually taught how to learn.

We were taught how to memorize.
How to cram.
How to pass a test.

Some of those lessons stuck because repetition has a way of doing that. Repeat something often enough, and it embeds itself in your memory. Sometimes it even embeds itself into your beliefs. (That’s a conversation about inner dialogue for another day.)

But somewhere along the way, many of us stopped learning intentionally. And here we are, in the prime of adulthood, realizing:

We can be better if we do better.
And we can do better if we know better.

Enter the joy (and challenge) of learning. Cue the confetti cannon.

Why This Became Personal

I grew up earning gold stars for memorizing Scripture in Sunday school. But it wasn’t until a few years ago, stuck inside an MRI tube, gripped with anxiety about my future, that I truly appreciated having Psalm 23 written on my heart. I recited it on repeat.

In that moment, I wished that I had more of God’s Word in my heart.

Life happened. Healing took time. And honestly? I lost the urgency in that initial desire.

Until this past year.

As I was setting intentions for my next year this past December, I decided to memorize Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) in three months. For context: that’s 3 chapters, 111 verses, and roughly 2,500 words. It’s a stretch goal for me. Big time.

I’m about halfway through, and here’s what I’m learning about learning.

Mistakes are Great Teachers

You’ve probably heard “practice makes perfect”… unless you’re practicing wrong. When I first heard this, I assumed it meant I needed to practice perfectly. There is some merit to this idea, especially with learning things involving muscle memory when precision matters. But during my first week of memorization, I made a surprising discovery:

My mistakes were my best teacher.

When I wrote a passage and saw a phrase out of place, the error was so impactful that I rarely made the same mistake twice. Our brains are designed to notice what’s wrong. It was effective when we were looking for predators in the bushes, and now we can put it to good use to help us spot errors in our thinking or learning.

First, let’s celebrate the effort. We showed up to another day of practice and growth.

Then, we can allow our “problem finder” to highlight what needs adjustment.

Mistakes aren’t a failure. They’re important feedback for refinement and realignment.

Active Recall: Embrace the Struggle

When I couldn’t remember a phrase, I forced myself to sit in the discomfort instead of immediately flipping the page. That small pause matters.
Research shows that struggling to retrieve information signals to the brain that something is important. Our brains are designed to be efficient energy conservers. Struggling feels costly, and that cost increases retention. What’s even more fascinating is when we leave a mental look open, our subconscious brain keeps working on a solution in the background. Have you ever had the answer pop into your mind while washing dishes or walking the dog? That’s not random. That is a prime example of your brain needing to close the loop.

This process is active recall, and it’s essential for long-term memory and learning.

Unfortunately, we rarely allow ourselves to remember or even wonder because every answer is at our fingertips in this smartphone and AI-saturated world. Instead of immediately searching, we should challenge ourselves to pause, wonder, and let the discomfort of not immediately remembering stretch us.

Struggle is not a sign you’re behind. It’s a sign your brain is working to get stronger.

Variety Fuels Motivation

We talk a lot about creating boundaries around technology. But when used wisely, technology can really shine when it comes to making learning more fun. My first week, I only used a pen, paper, and my Bible to study. It was meaningful, but to be honest, it was also becoming a little dull. Then, I remembered how the Bible app helped me build a daily reading habit through streaks and how Duolingo helped me practice Spanish with gamified lessons.

Our brains appreciate novelty and small wins, so technology can be an effective strategy with its dopamine-inducing, habit-forming design. So I downloaded a Bible memorization app, and it injected some fun into the experience. Practice games, quizzes, daily targets, and immediate feedback, yippee!

Here’s the takeaway: Make learning enjoyable. Maybe that means:

Apps
Notecards
Music
Scoreboards
Voice recording
Walking recitations

Our brains crave variety. Inject a little creativity and fun, and watch consistency improve.

Community Changes Everything

Learning doesn’t have to be lonely. Whether it’s mundane chores or adventurous travel, many experiences are just more fun with the right people. Why would growth be any different? When we are learning something new, we can invite a friend to join us or find a community to practice with. As we get older, we often avoid “beginner” spaces, but usually that is a choice. Sure, you may not be interested in signing up for ballet or T-ball lessons in your 40s, but maybe it’s a good time to:

Join a neighborhood yoga studio
Create a couch to 5K small group
Set up a Spanish practice group at a coffee shop
Host a bookclub

My husband and I are memorizing the Sermon on the Mount together, and knowing that he’s facing the same motivation dips and mental blocks keeps me committed on the hard days because we’re in this together.

Sharing challenges strengthens our resolve to finish strong.

Rhythms and Spaced Learning

Working through 2,500 words has revealed something important: Spacing beats cramming.

It’s tempting to sit down for a long session and “check the box.” But I’ve found diminishing returns hit quickly. Instead, I’ve gained far more traction with:

20 minutes in the morning (write + meditate)
10 minutes at lunch (review)
20–30 minutes in the evening (practice game)

Short, consistent sessions build deeper memory than one large chunk.

Progress compounds in rhythms.

Recommit

The final lesson is mostly a short sermon to myself, but you’re welcome to stay. Enthusiasm has a half-life. I started strong. I was ahead of schedule for two weeks. Then I got the flu, and fever doesn’t exactly optimize cognitive performance. Obstacles and challenges are going to happen.

You will get off track.

You will miss days.

You will skip intentionally (or unintentionally).

That’s okay. That’s not where it’s meant to end. It’s simply an invitation to recommit to what’s important. Wherever you are, pick up and keep moving forward. It’s not about perfection. Progress is usually a result of recommitting, especially on the hard days.

The Heart of a Lifelong Learner

When we say “all leaders are readers,” I think it’s less about books and more about posture. A lifelong learner is humble, curious, and hungry. They understand that for every step of growth taken, the horizon expands. One of my mentors likes to say, “I’m trying to reduce my level of ignorance every day.”

Let’s relearn how to learn. Let’s have faith that God has more in store for us than we can imagine. Let’s have the courage to sacrifice our comfort zone as we humble ourselves to be beginners yet again. Let’s resolve to recommit daily to what’s truly important, even if we missed the mark yesterday.

Growth is not automatic. It is intentional. So here’s the challenge:

Where is God inviting you to be a beginner?
What would change if you approached this season with the heart of a learner?

Pick one thing. Start small. Stay consistent. Recommit often.

P.S. The confetti cannon isn’t for perfection. It’s for progress.

Faith Encouragement:

Proverbs 9:9 – Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.
Matthew 18: 3-4 – And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Socrates – The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
John Wooden – It is what you learn after you know it all that counts.

Relearning How to Learn: Cultivating the Heart of a Lifelong Learner

Quiet Faithfulness: The Hidden Work of Greatness