Reply To: Your CG routine – how do you keep up the pace ?

[Mark Brown]

I’m starting to wonder if our “buffet” approach to offering training is more negative than positive. A huge collection of courses can be distracting and overwhelming, as you imply. It makes me think that reformatting course offerings into guided learning flows is best. I.e. Learning Flows on steroids.

Do you think that could help keep you on pace and motivated?

I have been going through the courses for about a month now. I originally joined with a specific goal in mind. After seeing all of the content and training available, I started to get excited and overwhelmed. However, the learning flows have been the jewel here allowing me to put a plan together for which courses I want to take and in which order depending on how it is recommended in the learning flows.

Regarding keeping on pace and motivated, there are a couple of things I have taken note of so far. 

First, and again, the learning flows have really helped out. Seeing myself progress through not just the courses, but also my progress in the entire learning flow is reassuring.

Second, the length of the videos are generally appropriate, with 10 – 15 minutes being the sweet spot for keeping my concentration. Shorter than that and I am left with a feeling of “was that all?” while more than that finds myself thinking about how I will apply what I saw to project x.

Third, the biggest speed bump to me keeping pace is the scope of the exercises. This is not the say there is a problem with the exercises, and in fact I look forward to them. Rather, I know that for each exercise, I will be spending hours or days completing each one as I plug away at whatever issues comes up as I try to implement what I just learned for the first time. When I balance the time it will take to complete the exercise vs going through a new course and learning something new, I find myself struggling.

On one hand, I want to complete the exercise and reinforce the knowledge there by tattooing the knowledge in place rather than just applying it like a stencil. On the other hand, I very much want to get to the next course and learn the next skill that will bring me closer to my ultimate goal.

This very well might just be me, but I wanted to at least add my notes for consideration.