Can you imagine breathing in without breathing out?
Learning is exactly like breathing. Most of us remember to breath in, but we rarely breath out…
“Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out.”
- Pam Allen
I recently came across this quote in this post by Andrew Barry. It got me thinking, learning is like breathing.
In the world of learning, breathing in = consumption.
This could be through an article, a video, a book, a teacher, a podcast, an experience - anything at all. This is a stage of divergence - you’re expanding your mind to learn something new.
Similarly, breathing out = creation.
This could be through note taking, reflecting on your experience, writing an article, having a conversation or creating an artefact. This is a stage of convergence - you are making sense of what you learn by applying it in your context.
The funny part? Most learning focusses only on breathing in.
But, learning is so much more than just consumption. Without applying or making sense of what you’ve learnt, it’s as good as not learning it at all.
Breathing in is not enough, we need to breathe out.
Here are 3 simple ways in which you can start breathing out while learning:
1/ Teach to Learn
“While we teach, we learn”
Learning grows by sharing. Teaching someone else can help you learn better.
2/ Build a Learning Museum
By making your learning:
👁️ Visible: Make it visual - document and capture
👋 Tangible: Make it hands-on - write and create
♥️ Shareable: Make it spread - talk and share
3/ Use Mirrors and Windows
🪞 Mirrors: Reflect on your learning - connect it with your past experiences.
🪟 Windows: Share what you’ve learnt with others — letting it spark conversation and debate.
So the next time you’re learning or teaching something, make sure you’re taking a learning breath - breathe in AND out!
Any other suggestions for what breathing out can look like? Let me know in the comments!