There are two types of learning methods (and probably others) out there. I’ve heard them referred to as Just in Case and Just in Time learning.
“Just in case” learning tends to be more of the school and college mindset. Learn a lot of things now, just in case at some point you need to know that thing. Some things are crucial to have this kind of training. As a doctor, it’s important for you to know a lot about a lot of different parts of the body and the procedures that are done to fix it. It’s not something you can learn just before you do it…or at least I hope you don’t do that.
Other professions are similar to this. But much more than people think thrive off a “Just in time” learning approach. Why? Because as much as people “memorize” during college, many things have to be relearned anyway. When you don’t learn and immediately put into practice, you will lose many of those skills.
When you learn something and immediately use it, it’s ingrained in your mind. Not that you can’t forget it. If you don’t use it for a while, you’ll likely lose it again. But now instead of wasting time on something you might not use, you guarantee that you use it at least once.
I’ve thought of this concept today as I set up my new apartment. As someone who leans toward “Just in time,” I’m not always a great host…or decorator. It’s almost an engineer mindset of efficiency. “Do we need it now? No? Then we don’t need it.”
Until someone says “Hey, we don’t have this thing we need, I don’t want to go and purchase that thing because what if we never end up needing it? Or what if we get it now but it isn’t used for 4 months and now we could have gotten a 4-month newer thing?
There are advantages to each learning style, and in general, I prefer and think it’s better to use the “just in time” method. But every once in awhile it bites you in the butt.