Learning What You Don't Know As You Go: 4 Techniques to Become a More Efficient Learner

Henry R. Montoya, 
Director of Communications, 
ALPFA Chicago Chapter 

Information is out there somewhere.
For almost anything new that I
​had to learn, I’ve realized that it’s all about finding the subject-matter experts that can
help me ...

By: Linda E. Alberty, M.A. ​​

Through every life juncture, Marine Veteran and champion of self-instruction, Henry R. Montoya, makes it a habit to learn something new to apply on-the-job or through his volunteer work. In the process, he builds a reputation for getting the job done across many professional organizations, and helps others with tools as they embark in the “unknowns” of learning something new.

In seventh grade, Henry could be found creating his father’s company logo, proposal and invoices in the era of Windows 3.x and Windows 95; self-taught business skills  he would not formally learn until much later into his college years. 

“Information is out there somewhere. For almost anything new that I have had to learn, I’ve realized that it’s all about finding the subject-matter experts that can help me determine what I should research, a road-map, in essence, and then following their advice by doing a lot of homework to learn it myself.”

After graduating high school, Henry joined the Marine Corps. Determined to improve efficiency in tracking the status of his military company’s pay cases beyond a log book, Henry set out to increase his knowledge of the software tools he had. Immersing himself in the database features of Microsoft Excel and Acccess, his work resulted in building a databases that was replicated across other administrative company processes while stationed in Japan. 

While the principles behind learning can virtually be the same—searching for company cost-saving solutions, assisting non-profit organizations, or learning for personal enrichment—Henry shares a few of things that have helped him to become a more efficient learner:

Continue reading below ...

Association for Latino Professionals For America, ALPFA Chicago Executive Board Members brainstorm together, a regular practice to build collaboration, strategy and growth for the Chicago Chapter, serving more than 5,000 professional Latino members. Volunteers pictured (from left to right): Jaime Morales, Mona Asra, Beatriz Rangel, Marc Butiong and Henry R Montoya.

I’ve gotten better at 
taking breaks 
over the weekends 
to decompress,
 think a little bit, reflect, 
and write my learnings
from the week.
By doing that, I am able to zoom out to
get a more holistic view,
and even think of options
I previously had not
 because​ I was zoned 
in the details 
of the challenge.”​

Those that have
advanced through
a learning process
have surrounded
themselves
with people that
understand that ...

They still enjoy life
but sometimes
they ​have to
eliminate the noise
around them
​to learn."
​

---

---

When you are emerging yourself into learning something new, and taking the courage to jump into the 
'Unknown,"
I would like to reinforce
the importance of knowing your long-term 'Why?'

That will always keep you focused and motivated to finish your goal."

​

• Work Backwards - Knowing what your end goal is critical. Ask yourself why? What is your long-term goal? Establish a plan by starting at where you want to be. What challenges do you need to overcome? What new knowledge do you need to acquire? Then, work backwards to reach your goal. Sometimes you can barter resources, negotiate terms or simply think outside of the box. Knowing what your why is in the long run will help you make better decisions to reach your end goal.

• Take Time to Reflect - Henry admits, “I’ve gotten better at taking breaks over the weekends to decompress, think a little bit, reflect, and write my learnings from the week. By doing that, I am able to zoom out to get a more holistic view, and even think of options I previously had not because I was zoned in the details of the challenge.”​

• Work A Different Angle - If you come to a challenge that you can’t get through because you don’t know have the knowledge or resources, ask yourself, “Can I approach this from a different angel? Commit some time to thinking of alternative ways. Sometimes it ends up meaning you have to work twice as hard to develop a different approach but it will open up a world of possibilities. 

• Count Your Costs - By doing a proper risk assessment of the resources you have, you can determine what level of risk is involved in the learning process. Sometimes you may have to cut losses and move on if no viable options exist in the process of reaching an end goal, but not before taking the time to gain knowledge and information, in order to make an informed decision.

The benefits of taking this approach to learning are quite powerful. When you can successfully implement what you’ve learned for yourself or for an organization, suddenly you elevate yourself to a different level. The next time you are faced with a similar situation, you know where to get the information you need. It helps you to resolve matters more quickly and gives you an extra boost of confidence.

On the flip side of that, the biggest challenge to learning as you go, Henry shares, is having to sacrifice time with your friends, family, or loved ones, or time away from the activities you enjoy for the period that you are learning.

“Those that have advanced through a learning process have surrounded themselves with people that understand that. Sometimes they are going to be gone for a little bit because they are working on a big project. But their friends and family understand they are going to be back. They still enjoy life but sometimes they have to eliminate the noise around them to learn."

Once you’ve reached the finish line in learning something new, there’s always more to learn. Henry offers advice to document your learnings, and to keep a mental inventory of the resources available to you, “so you can rely upon and gain additional knowledge when you come across a similar challenge in the future.”

Final Thoughts:

“When you are emerging yourself into learning something new, and taking the courage to jump into the unknown, I would like to reinforce the importance of knowing your long-term why. That will always keep you focused and motivated to finish your goal."