The Four Stages of Learning As It Relates To Becoming An Entrepreneur

The Four Stages of Learning As It Relates To Becoming An Entrepreneur

Most men in midlife who desire to become an Entrepreneur, can at times get discouraged and flustered when it comes to learning new things. This phase of life will require a new learning curve as you try to understand the various aspects of business. Most of what you will need to do at this stage – midlife – will take courage, risk and a strong desire to learn.

The danger is that you will want to learn everything that is needed and this will seem so overwhelming. It becomes an endless loop as you go around and around in circles, trying to learn every new thing possible. Let’s put an end to this madness by saying, “you won’t know everything” and “you don’t need to know everything.”

I have found this to be true in my life as I pursue that “silver bullet”; that one thing that is going to launch my business and become as successful as I am imagining. I attend conferences as often as possible, read as many books as possible, listen to a bunch of podcast and audiobooks and constantly on the lookout for that mastermind or coaching group that will become the game changer.

This process is tiring to say the least, not mentioning discouraging. I find myself becoming a serial learner going from one thing to another and when I can’t grasp it fast enough, I’m wondering if I’m doing the right thing or if becoming and entrepreneur is really for me. The years are limited because of this stage of life known as midlife.

To offer some help, I’m outlining Abraham Maslow’s four stages of learning to offset some of this frustration from occurring. Understanding these four stages of learning a skill can help keep the learning process focused on learning to do something, and not feeling bad about ourselves for not already knowing how.

Stage 1: Unconscious Incompetence

“I don’t know that I don’t know.” This is the stage of being downright ignorant of something before learning begins.

Illustration: Using Twitter:

Using the example of learning to use Twitter, there was a time that I had no idea what that was much less how to use it. I don’t know that I don’t know.

Stage 2: Stage of Conscious Incompetence

“I know, that I don’t know.” This is the most difficult stage, where learning begins, and where we are the hardest on ourselves. At this stage most judgments against self are formed. Here is the clincher: This is the stage that you will feel like giving up. You are realizing all that you don’t know.

Twitter illustration continued:

When I began learning to use Twitter, I realized there was a whole lot more to it, which became a little daunting. There were so many different things to learn.

In this stage I made lots of mistakes, and thought that I was not tech-savvy enough even though I have an undergraduate degree in Computer Science. I made judgments against myself for not already knowing how to master it. These mistakes are necessary to learning even though at the time, I thought otherwise. I failed to remember that learning is essentially experimental and experience-based, trial and error. Its the practicing that would eventually make perfect.

Stage 3: Conscious Competence

“I know that, I know.” This stage is where you might breathe a little easier than the previous stage, but it is still a bit uncomfortable and you’ll still feel somewhat self-conscious. You are now beginning to get a grasp on what you are working on. You are still careful with what you do, wanting to make sure you’re getting it right.

Twitter illustration continued:

As I practiced using Twitter, I began to feel a lot better, even though not very smooth or fluid with my tweets. It wasn’t as overwhelming and stressful as it was in the previous stage. I had moved into this third stage.

Stage 4: Unconscious Competence

“I know that I know that I know.” The final stage of learning a skill is when it has become a natural part of you; you don’t have to think about it. It’s almost automatic – second nature.

Twitter illustration continued:

Even though I would not necessarily see myself as an expert on Twitter, it is more fluid and automatic in some areas of use. So for those areas, I can say I’m at this fourth stage. You could say I’m between stages 3 and 4, but more 4 than 3. Confusing? I hope not.

What does all this have to do with becoming an entrepreneur at midlife – Midlifepreneur? Everything. You will be learning new things that you had no knowledge of but as your interest in entrepreneurship intensifies, you will be going through these four stages and I don’t want you to be as frustrated and discouraged in this very important journey.

Having read this blog post, what is your thoughts on it? Have you found this to be true in your journey but now understanding why you felt what you felt? What’s your thoughts on these stages of learning? Leave a comment in the space below before you leave this page. Do it now while it is fresh in your mind and please share it with your peers.