The Power of Unlearning
As I picked up the vacuum machine and started vacuuming the carpet in my living room, a sense of dissatisfaction loomed over me. It had been just about a year since I bought this vacuum cleaner and it was already low in its efficiency. The buzzing sound of the motor from that machine sounded healthy, and the dust collecting bag was changed a couple of days ago. However, as I hovered the machine over the carpet, I saw that the dust and tiny pieces of paper didn’t vanish when machine “vroomed” over them.
Perplexed, I flipped over the base of the machine to check the roller brush. I rolled it with my fingers and it was moving freely. I looked at the orifice of the tube that was opening into the roller brush chamber; there was a crumpled piece of paper obstructing the opening of the 5 feet tube that ran between the roller brush chamber and the dust collecting bag. Using a wire I pulled the crumpled paper from that tube, but along with the paper came out a stream of coiled fibrous material. I continued digging out the fibrous dust from the tube. I was astonished to see that the tube was completely packed with that material from one end to other making me disjoin all parts of the tube, clean it up and reassemble the same. Apparently the fibrous material got accumulated from the carpet during all these days of cleaning.
Well! It is not entirely feasible to design a cleaner that cleans without getting exposed to the dirt, and when the cleaner itself catches dirt, it is time for maintenance.
What about us? Over the years, day in day out, at home as well as outside, we have been exposed to information in the form of conceptual theories, philosophies and non-conceptual experiences. And at every moment of our life, like a vacuum machine we suck whatever knowledge comes our way, good as well as bad. Our habits, behaviour, attitudes, perceptions, ideologies, likes, dislikes and the way we relate to others are shaped out of these learnings.
We get conditioned to react to the world in a specific way based on this knowledge. This conditioning becomes a barrier in learning new things, a hindrance to look at the world with an open mind, and dealing with the ever changing world. It was easy cleaning up the vacuum machine, by simply removing the unwanted obstructing material. Can we do the same with ourselves? Can we erase our natural conditioning that constantly impedes our progress?
Yes! It is possible and this is done by the process of unlearning and relearning. The process of unlearning is not as easy as removing the clogging material from the vacuum machine because we don’t have a mechanism to erase the things that get accumulated in our mind. It is done by replacing the outdated concepts, beliefs, and practices that we follow with new ones and this is when we start doing things differently, different from the usual way that we are conditioned to take. As the saying goes, successful people don’t do different things, they do things differently. One doesn’t need a big leap to do things differently; just start with routine tasks, chores, and daily activities.
How many times do you snooze the alarm daily in the morning? How about walking across your bedroom to snooze the alarm?
Do you prepare the agenda an hour before that weekly meeting?
When was the last time you smiled at your loved ones, other than the smiley on the chat or the messages that you text?
Did you tell your boss about the idea that struck your mind in a reverie?
Believe it or not, every day, pick up at least one thing in your life and do it in a different way from the usual and you will see its effect cascade in all areas of your life and the benefits are enormous. And you will experience the power of unlearning.
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Hi Praveen, Nice article, reading it just struck me to do simple things in a different way..may be i will wakeup early and that way exercise and be more energetic at work..cool keep writing !!
Praveen, it is a very nice article! Esp., the way you related a simple everyday observation to a ‘concept’ of unlearning & relearning is quite impacting and I’m definitely ‘tickled’ by your article! The cycle of learning-unlearning-relearning is like a wheel that moves one’s life faster, effectively & efficiently! Keep writing ticklers like this, while I start my vacuum machine…to unlearn a few things first and do them differently! Kudos!
Another well written article chap. I am proud to have been associated with you
Ditto Raj-from-Gururaj!
very inspiring article..Thanks
Nice article.!
The clogged tube is a wonderful metaphor for the cluttered ‘learnt’ mind.
Oh! nice piece enjoyed keep it up!
Praveen – Great Article….and i’ve started walking across the bedroom to snooze the alarm clock – and i only did it thrice this morning
Concise but aptly describe the importance of unlearning.
That’s remind me of a quote from Ex-CEO of GE , Jack Welch, “We need to unlearn a century old practices of controlling employees and stay on top, instead today’s managers have to learn to energize, motivate and empower.”
Thanks.
Nafees
Thanks for your post. Your image of the vacuum cleaner really put in perspective a lot of the abstract concepts surrounding innovation that I’ve been researching lately.
Great writing and I’m definitely going to apply your daily “pick up at least one thing in your life and do it in a different way from the usual” suggestion. Thanks again!
very nice article
thank you once again…
thank you this article has motivated and inspired me to move on with renewed energy in one of my most criticle times.
Hi Praveen,
Nice mental imagery there. How difficult it is to distance oneself from the subjective baggage ALL of us carry and look at things in a new, childlike, “unlearned” manner, like a blackboard wiped clean for a new teacher to begin her discourse.
Kduos again for the article!
Jones
hmmmm …. the idea is clear sir… very nice
Praveen:
Nice way to put it.
In an ever changing environment, things that are important today may not be important in the future.
One has to constantly unlearn the knowledge that does not work anymore, acquire new knowledge that does work, be open to new ideas and be creative, without compromising the very basic principle one lives by.
So what should be the mantra for people as they want to make an impact around themselves.
1. Challenge the known.
2. Embrace the unknown.
3. Focus on creating value and results.
4. Dare to be different.
5 If you cant lead or follow, get out of the way.
Have a challenging year ahead.
Best
Anup
Praveen – Even though I started following this since a long back…I couldnt have described it in such a beautiful fashion. A very nice and a well built article!
Keep going!
nice article
Nice article. Going back a few steps always gives more force and pace when time comes to deliver.
Nicely written article.
The unlearning process is important, it is difficult to unwind or undo the scripts written on the hard disk called “mind”.
This has much to do with the source material around that grooms the persona.
The vacuum cleaner had “born defects” not due to design but due to use of inefficient flow sheet and quality control. Same holds good during “growing up process” in life.
Ability to undo makes great leader.
thnks
Very nice article.
Virtually every people on this planet needs unlearning, of course to different extents. The same may also benefit to entire civilisations…
How could it be possible to periodically unclog our minds? Maybe there are opportunities for future promising businesses.
Good article. Alot of what is learned is not truth anyway. As a seeker of truth, one needs to challenge all assumptions. When one does this, they will uncover “hidden” fears that kept that untruth a truth. It is imperative that you self diagnose daily to see what one must unlearn. This can only be done by going inside. And by going inside I am not talking about a religious experience but a spiritual experience. As a Responsiblist, I must see how I can have a better impact on the world.
Hi ,
the title alone is so intriging to me that makes me i need to know how unlearning is powerful, well done ,i will start looking for 3 habitual things that i do each morning & doing it differently.
thanks …
Very relevant article in present scenario. All ppl learn to live a certain, way, and then they never change, even if the hell broke loose.
Hi Praveen,
Nice article with very good example.
Thanks.Now I’m going to try to do things differently.