<h1><span style="font-size: small;">Learner</span></h1>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">You love to learn. The subject matter that interests you most will be determined by your other themes and experiences, but whatever the subject, you will always be drawn to the process of learning. The process, more than the content or the result, is especially exciting for you. You are energized by the steady and deliberate journey from ignorance to competence. The thrill of the first few facts, the early efforts to recite or practice what you have learned, the growing confidence of a skill mastered -- this is the process that entices you. Your excitement leads you to engage in adult learning experiences -- yoga or piano lessons or graduate classes. It enables you to thrive in dynamic work environments where you are asked to take on short project assignments and are expected to learn a lot about the new subject matter in a short period of time and then move on to the next one. This Learner theme does not necessarily mean that you seek to become the subject matter expert, or that you are striving for the respect that accompanies a professional or academic credential. The outcome of the learning is less significant than the "getting there."</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Action Items for   This Theme</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small;">Seek roles that require   some form of technical competence. You will enjoy the process   of acquiring and maintaining this competence.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small;">As far as possible, shift your career toward a field with constantly changing   technologies or regulations. You will be energized by the challenge of   keeping up.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small;">Because you are not threatened by unfamiliar information, you might excel in a consulting   role (either internal or external), in which you are paid to go into   new situations and pick up new competencies or languages very quickly.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small;">Refine how you learn. For   example, you might learn best by teaching; if so, seek out opportunities to   present to others. You might learn best through quiet reflection; if so,   carve out this quiet time.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small;">Find ways to track the progress of your learning. If there are   distinct levels or stages of learning within the discipline or skill, take a   moment to celebrate your progression from one level to the next. If no such   levels exist, create them for yourself (e.g., reading five books on the   subject, or making three presentations on the subject).</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Be ready to:</strong></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small;">Honor your desire to   learn. If you can't fulfill this need at work, take advantage of the   adult educational opportunities in your community. Discipline yourself to sign   up for at least one new academic or adult learning course each year.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: small;">Be a catalyst for change.   Others might be intimidated by new rules, new skills, or new circumstances.   Your willingness to soak up this "newness" can calm their fears and   spur them to engage. Take this responsibility seriously.</span></p>
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