Lifelong Development

Literature, law, pedagogy, political science, sports medicine — these are just a few of the 15 fields of study that Leonardo Altobelli has completed. And it wouldn’t be so remarkable if it weren’t for the fact that the Italian earned most of his academic degrees at an advanced age. He received his last diploma, in criminology, at the age of 91. His fellow countryman, Giuseppe Paterno, was even older when he earned his bachelor's degree in history and philosophy at the age of 96. The 80-year-old Spaniard Miguel Castillo was interested not only in studying contemporary history but also went on a student exchange program to Italy under the Erasmus program. His health condition didn’t deter him — he had suffered a heart attack and had undergone quadruple bypass surgery. Similarly, in Poland, seniors are increasingly choosing regular universities over third-age universities. The 76-year-old Zenon Lenczewski received a diploma in Croatian philology half a century after defending his master’s thesis in chemistry. What did he do after earning his second degree? He enrolled in another program — archaeology.

Each of these elderly students admitted that further education helped break the monotony of retirement. They all emphasized that their drive to learn was fueled by a thirst for knowledge. They also wanted to prove to themselves that even at such an advanced age, one is capable of learning something new. Today, there are more and more similar cases in higher education worldwide. The need for self-improvement is not solely the domain of those over sixty. In line with the idea of lifelong learning, contemporary 30-, 40-, and 50-year-olds are learning new languages, returning to university, and signing up for courses and training programs. Of course, many of these activities are driven by the demands of today’s job market, where the ability to adapt to new conditions and the need to expand competencies seem crucial for career development. Increasingly, however, we feel the desire to reach for more. We suppress the inner critic that says, “I don’t feel like it,” “It’s not worth it,” “It doesn’t pay off,” or “I don’t need this.” We are driven by the motto “the sky is the limit.”

Age is Just a Number

Today, the need for continuous self-development is obvious to many of us, but in the past, there was a belief — even among scientists — that the ability to acquire new knowledge was limited. Sigmund Freud, who laid the foundations for the theory of psychosexual development, claimed that personality and behavior are shaped in early childhood. This view later evolved, but even until the 1960s, the dominant thinking was that everything we can achieve (intellectually) and everything we can learn happens in early adulthood (ages 20-30). After that, we can change very little.

It wasn’t until the work of researchers like Erik Erikson and Daniel J. Levinson that the broader public began to embrace the idea that personality develops throughout life. Therefore, through our own actions, we can continue to grow regardless of age. In his theory of psychosocial development, Erikson identified eight stages of life. In each of them, we overcome specific crises to adapt to social demands and successfully meet our developmental needs. These needs must be met at each stage so that we can acquire new skills in the next. For example, if a child doesn’t learn to trust their caregivers during infancy, they will perceive the world as dangerous and unstable. This will make it harder for them to learn to crawl or reach for new toys in later stages of development. In the last stage of life, which Erikson called “late adulthood,” the key is to feel satisfied with one’s life. If we achieve this, we will not only accept the past but also view the future as an opportunity for further self-improvement. If we don’t feel satisfied, we may become passive, bitter, and paralyzed by fear of impending death.

Like Erikson, Daniel J. Levinson also believed that our lives follow a cycle of successive phases. The American researcher called them eras: childhood and adolescence (up to age 22), early adulthood (between 17 and 45), middle age (up to 65), and late adulthood (after 65). Just as the seasons overlap in nature, there are no clear boundaries between the eras in human life. Levinson believed that transitional periods are just as important in our development. These periods, along with the eras, form a framework that we build upon with new skills and experiences at every level.

In Erikson and Levinson’s theories, developmental needs were closely tied to biology. Both scientists argued that in our 30s and 40s, we are most focused on developing traits that help us start a family, raise children, and provide financial stability for our loved ones. Today, we know that the views from four or five decades ago have partly become outdated. We no longer want to generalize and explain everything through biology. The way and whether we want to develop depends greatly on individual traits — our mental attitude, life experiences, and the circumstances we face daily. We can continue to develop, regardless of age, but also independently of social expectations and patterns.

Mindset: How to Program Yourself

Since social norms and biology no longer have to limit us, where does our resistance to development come from? In her book The New Psychology of Success, Carol Dweck writes about people who have two mindsets: fixed and growth. The American psychologist from Stanford University distinguished between two concepts: fixed mindset and growth mindset. The former means a belief in permanence — we believe we are born with certain traits and talents that cannot be developed. A fixed mindset is characterized by binary thinking. Either I’m good at something, or it’s not for me and I’m not suited for it.

A person with a fixed mindset is usually a perfectionist who views any sign of imperfection as a personal failure. They see it mainly as a source of shame and proof of their incompetence. If something doesn’t go well from the start, they quickly become discouraged and give up. Such a person is also not inclined to put in much effort because they assume that if they are good at something, they will achieve it without much trouble. Failure is seen as the result. They fear it, just as they fear judgment and criticism, which they perceive as a personal attack. They don’t learn from failures, nor do they learn from mistakes. They tend to procrastinate and use a lack of preparation as an excuse.

On the other hand, a growth mindset is based on the belief that traits and abilities can be developed through effort. Nothing is predetermined or final. A person with a growth mindset feels a constant hunger for knowledge and a desire to make progress. This approach inspires enthusiasm and curiosity. They rarely see limitations as insurmountable barriers. Challenges are viewed as opportunities to be met. They don’t get discouraged by failures because they can learn from them and work on improvement. They don’t impose rigid limits on their potential. If they hear that something can’t be done, it activates additional reserves of energy and motivation. They want to impress and demonstrate knowledge and competence, though this is not their primary goal. They strive for mastery without falling into unhealthy perfectionism.

Carol Dweck’s theory can be compared to being a Formula 1 driver. We can either trust our mechanics and their factory settings for the car, or we can try to change the parameters ourselves to achieve a better lap time. Of course, our intervention may result in worse performance, but as the driver, it is up to us to choose the strategy. The sports analogy is fitting, as a growth mindset plays a significant role in achieving success and development on football fields, swimming lanes, or athletics tracks. The greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan, once said, “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. I’ve been entrusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” In a growth mindset, failures teach us more than victories.

Lifelong Learning — A Contemporary Thirst for Knowledge

In the past, when it was believed that we could only develop up to a certain point in life, did potential failures close the door to realizing dreams and plans more quickly and effectively? Partly, yes, but it wasn’t always about our mindset. Circumstances were just as important. A few decades ago, access to education wasn’t as easy and widespread as it is today. Moreover, the primary goal was to acquire a profession as quickly as possible, which was then typically practiced for life. Changing careers or professions was rare. Few people thought about further training. Besides, there wasn’t much time for it. People spent long hours at work, and the remaining short time of the day had to be used for all other needs and rest.

Today, civilizational, social, cultural, and technological progress creates conditions for virtually unlimited self-development. We think differently than before, work shorter, and have more free time, which we use not only for rest but also for developing our own interests. We also have access to even greater resources of knowledge, and most importantly, to ways and techniques of acquiring it. That’s why lifelong learning is so popular today.

The concept of developing and improving skills and qualifications throughout one’s life is not a modern invention. Even ancient thinkers like Plato and Seneca spoke of the ongoing need for development and learning. However, it wasn’t until the 20th century that this approach began to gain popularity. In 1919, Albert Mansfield, Richard Tawley, and Basil Yeaxlee advocated for education to be a privilege of selected groups and not limited to early years of life. In his book The Meaning of Adult Education, Eduard Lindeman argued that life is learning; therefore, education should have no end. Basil Yeaxlee, in Lifelong Education, wrote, “For life to be intense, strong, and creative, it must be under the control of wisdom.” Even the founding treaty of the European Union includes a provision on lifelong learning, understood as a continuous process of general and vocational education.

Modern lifelong learning is based on three pillars developed by Robert J. Kidd. Vertical education encompasses successive levels of formal education — from kindergarten, through primary and secondary school, to university and postgraduate studies. Horizontal education means learning about various fields of life and science outside of vertical education, for example, through courses or training. The third pillar of lifelong learning, deep education, involves developing one’s own interests, the ability to self-educate, and the motivation to learn. And what does comprehensive lifelong learning really serve? Primarily, it increases our chances in the job market, opens the possibility of changing careers or industries, and can contribute to promotions or higher incomes. Lifelong learning also means personal development, increased life satisfaction, improved social status and quality of life, enhanced ability to adapt to change, and reduced fear of risk. Interestingly, this approach has an even broader dimension, because if applied not only to individuals but also to the collective, it can contribute to success within a team of employees and, on a national scale, to economic growth.

The Brain Doesn’t Like to Gather Dust

Lifelong learning has another advantage, which is particularly important for our body. By learning, we take care of one of our most important organs — the brain. It was once thought that the brain only develops until the age of 25. Today, thanks to detailed research, we know that it can change its structure and functioning throughout life. Neuroplasticity of the brain is responsible for creating and eliminating connections between neurons. It also means changing the activity of certain neural areas in the brain, which adjusts to new situations and demands. This, in turn, means that we can continue to learn, develop skills, and acquire new competencies throughout life.

When we learn, brain plasticity allows for continuous remodeling. However, this is not a permanent process. In one experiment, scientists studied brain changes in two groups of people: those who learned juggling for three months and those who did not participate in the classes. Although the changes were clearly noticeable, they quickly disappeared three weeks after the training stopped. This is just another piece of evidence of how important learning and self-improvement are for our brains. When we don’t provide the right stimuli to the brain, the top floor of our body turns into a dim attic filled with dusty boxes. There are still many useful things in these boxes, but there is also a lot of wasted space around them.

According to lifelong learning, any moment in our lives is a good time to go up to that attic and rearrange it a bit. However, some periods are particularly conducive to acquiring certain skills. For example, at age 7, it’s best to start learning a second language. At age 22, we remember names best, and at age 32, we remember faces. The best age to learn chess is 31, and to run a marathon, 28. At age 43, we achieve the highest level of concentration. When we’re 51, we best understand the emotions of others, and at 71, we are most proficient in our native language. And although the number of favorable circumstances for doing certain things decreases with age, it is comforting to know that we can somewhat reverse this trend. A 7-year-old won’t master their native language perfectly, nor will they fully understand emotions. But a 67-year-old can still learn to play chess or the guitar. Theoretically, they could even run a marathon, although this will depend not only on the brain.

In the Trap of Inadequacy

The ideal situation would be to master all skills simultaneously. Eddie, the main character in the movie Limitless, knows something about this. Thanks to a mysterious drug, he gained the ability to almost fully utilize his brain's potential. He could recall every memory and every sentence he had ever read. He solved complex math problems in seconds and predicted stock market trends. He became a genius, but at the cost of his physical and mental health. One could say he overdosed on knowledge. Could such a situation occur outside of cinematic fiction? Is lifelong learning safe for us? Can self-development lead to self-destruction?

The desire to acquire ever-newer skills and an insatiable thirst for knowledge can trap us in inadequacy. This is when we can no longer be satisfied with any successes because we constantly feel the need to reach for more. We don’t see what we already have and focus on what remains beyond our reach. We feel that what we already know isn’t enough. We put increasing pressure on ourselves, and overgrown ambition begins to devour the last remnants of common sense.

We also lack the time and space to apply what we are learning in practice. We want to keep leveling up, even though we’re not quite sure why. We lose sight of our priorities. We don’t acquire wisdom; instead, we collect information. We neglect the emotional sphere and relationships with others. We don’t leave room for rest, nor for making mistakes, ignorance, and imperfection, which can indeed refine and strengthen us. We isolate ourselves from others and can’t trust them because we want to do everything perfectly ourselves. Like the famous contestant on the game show One of Ten who answered all the questions correctly in the final and scored the maximum points, we keep repeating, “on myself.”

Finding Your Own Path

It’s worth sometimes saying “pass” or passing the question to someone else. After all, self-development and learning aren’t about acquiring all the knowledge available, but about gaining the skills and information that will actually be useful to us. Discovering which specific skills and information those are may take us several years, and sometimes even half a lifetime. According to a report by the Information Processing Center of the State Research Institute, 1.3 million people dropped out of studies in Poland between 2012 and 2020. That’s as much as 40 percent of all those starting higher education. The lowest dropout rates were recorded among students of medical sciences and the arts. The highest were among those studying in the areas of science and humanities. The most common reason for dropping out was choosing the wrong field of study or the level of education being too high.

The statistics may seem worrying, but they clearly illustrate a trend that isn’t entirely pessimistic: we’re not dropping out of studies because we don’t want to learn. We’re giving up on a previously chosen field because we realize it’s not the right one for us. This is another argument for pursuing lifelong learning. You never know at which stage of life you will find your own path, which you will follow with satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment. The key question is: how much perseverance will we have in this search? The temptation to choose the most accessible and convenient path is not small. According to the report Learning of Polish Adults, nearly half of the country’s residents aged 25-65 said that learning gives them pleasure and satisfaction. Over 60 percent of them said that enriching their knowledge and skills is important to them. At the same time, nearly 42 percent of the surveyed adults declared that they no longer feel like learning. That’s a significant percentage, but you never know if there’s another Mr. Altobelli or Signore Paterno among them, who will reach for an academic textbook at an age when most people only read fairy tales to their grandchildren or medication leaflets.