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Welcome to the “Growing, Learning, and Adapting to Change” lesson with Michael Forrester. In this session, you’ll discover how to cultivate a growth mindset, build effective learning rituals, and handle the influx of new tools and concepts in IT.
SectionTopicKey Focus
1Pre-AssessmentGauge openness to change
2Mindset of Continual ImprovementFoster consistent, incremental growth
3Learning StrategiesPrioritize and focus your learning path
4Rituals of Growth and LearningEstablish daily or weekly learning habits
5Skill Acquisition Over TimeUnderstand the stages from frustration to mastery
6Handling Knowledge OverloadManage and filter information effectively
7Adapting to ChangeOvercome resistance to new ideas
8Summary & Final AssessmentReinforce takeaways and measure progress

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1. Pre-Assessment

Are you truly open to change, able to adapt quickly, and committed to continuous growth? Begin by reflecting on your current mindset.
Answer honestly—self-awareness is the first step toward improvement.
The image is a slide titled "Growing and Learning – Pre-Assessment" featuring a person looking at large question marks, with a question asking if the viewer is open to change and adapts well. There's also a small inset of a person speaking in the bottom right corner.

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2. Mindset of Continual Improvement

Continual improvement (Kaizen) means taking small, consistent steps each week, month, or year. In fast-paced IT environments, a growth mindset helps you stay ahead.
  • Focus on incremental wins
  • Embrace feedback loops
  • Celebrate small milestones
Consider pairing this approach with SMART goals to keep progress measurable.
The image features a DevOps infinity symbol with the text "A Mindset of Continual Improvement" and a caption about fostering continuous, focused, and consistent growth. There's also a small inset of a person in the bottom right corner.

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3. Learning Strategies

With so many resources—blogs, videos, courses—how do you choose what’s most relevant? Deploy these strategies:
  • Identify skill gaps based on your role
  • Set clear, time-boxed learning objectives
  • Use curated playlists or reading lists
Leverage tools like Anki for spaced repetition and retention.
The image is a slide titled "A Mindset of Continual Improvement" with two questions about learning strategies and the IT world. There's also a small video thumbnail of a person speaking.

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4. Rituals of Growth and Learning

Habits anchor your progress. Whether it’s:
  • 15 minutes of coding challenges daily
  • Weekly mini-projects
  • Monthly book summaries or podcast deep dives
Rituals keep you accountable and reinforce your growth loop.
The image features an illustration of a person with a laptop standing next to server racks, a gear icon, and a clock, with the title "Rituals of Growth and Learning." There's also a question about supporting mindset and IT skills, and a small inset of a person speaking.

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5. Skill Acquisition Over Time

Acquiring new skills follows a pattern:
  1. Excitement: “This looks fun!”
  2. Frustration: “Why isn’t this working?”
  3. Breakthrough: “I’m getting it!”
  4. Doubt: “Am I really doing this right?”
  5. Mastery: “I did it.”
Awareness of these stages helps you push through plateaus.
Cycles of discomfort are normal—perseverance leads to mastery.
The image is a graph illustrating the stages of skill acquisition over time, with labels indicating different experiences and emotions at each stage. It includes phrases like "Seems like fun," "This is tough," and "I did it."

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6. Handling Knowledge Overload

IT terminology, frameworks, and tools can flood your brain. Tackle overload by:
  • Prioritizing skills that align with current projects
  • Filtering noise: curate one newsletter or blog feed
  • Chunking information into manageable learning blocks
Avoid binge-learning—overloading your brain leads to burnout.
The image features a colorful bowl with various tech-related terms like HTML, API, and DEVOPS floating above it, accompanied by the text "Overwhelmed by Knowledge!" and a question about handling knowledge overload.

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7. Adapting to Change

New technologies often face initial pushback. For example, containerization seemed risky at first but now powers cloud-native apps. To embrace change:
  • Test new tools in a sandbox environment
  • Document learnings and share with peers
  • Reflect on wins and setbacks
The image shows a graphic of a head with a brain, labeled "Initial Resistance," and the text "Adapting to Change" on the side. There's also a small inset of a person in the bottom right corner.

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8. Summary & Final Assessment

Reinforce your learning with a quick self-assessment on:
  • Openness to change
  • Growth-oriented habits
  • Effective learning routines
  • Stress management for information overload
  • Willingness to experiment with new tools
The image is a slide titled "Growth and Learning – Section Agenda – Summary," outlining four points about adaptability, growth habits, handling information overload, and maintaining knowledge in IT. There's also a small image of a person in the bottom right corner.
Thanks for joining this lesson. See you in the next module!

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References

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