Active Or Lazy?

Learning and seeking entertainment can be done in two ways: the lazy way or the active way.

Lazy learning involves attempting to learn something without actively engaging in the process.

Listening to informative podcasts, reading books, attending seminars, etc are typical examples of lazy learning. Although you may gain some knowledge, you understand very little because you are not emotionally invested in the learning process. You are merely a participant without any ownership or accountability to learn.

Active learning, on the other hand, involves emotionally investing in the process. To not only gain knowledge but also understand it deeply. When you are an active learner, you are fully engaged in the learning process, and your goal is to develop a profound understanding of the subject matter.

Lazy learning becomes active learning the moment you engage with, process, and synthesize information to gain a deep understanding. One way to actively learn is by taking notes while listening to a podcast or a speaker at a seminar. Taking notes and paraphrasing what you have heard or read forces you to engage actively.

Similarly, there is lazy and active entertainment. Lazy entertainment involves indulging in distractions without investing any emotional focus or physical effort. Examples include watching streaming shows on Netflix or aimlessly browsing social media platforms without contributing content.

On the other hand, active entertainment involves deriving pleasure by investing emotional or physical effort in the activity. Examples include playing a game of Scrabble or badminton or planning and going out with friends, or even playing computer games. Active entertainment requires effort and is always value-creating in skill enhancement and relationship building. Passive or lazy entertainment, in contrast, is value-destructive in terms of time and focus. Excessive indulgence in passive entertainment always comes with a hangover of regret for not having put your time and focus to better use.

It’s always good to ask yourself- “am I active or lazy in my learning and entertainment?”