Getting Learners to Take Action & DO the Damn Thing Already!

Welcome back to Week Eight of this 13 week series where each week I distill down some key strategies and concepts you need to know to design courses that WORK.

#8 How to get your learner to actually DO the thing

Over the past few weeks, we've looked at how to help students acquire new knowledge (by getting their attention and helping them remember what you told them) and new skills. But have you ever known exactly what and how to do something, but just not been able to make yourself do it??

This week's post is all about how we can help learners with this very common challenge. For all my coaches out there who know this struggle, read on as I de-mystify the process of motivating our learners to take action!

There are a few key factors that contribute to motivation to change:

• Belief that the change is better than the status quo

• Belief that the change is right for them (i.e. meets their specific needs, & aligns with their values and past experiences)

• A simple process or path to follow

• Opportunities to observe someone demonstrating the action

• Opportunities to practice the action

• A chance to succeed at the action (or some part of it)

But the most important factor is that the learner believes in their own ability to succeed!

Seriously.

That's what it takes to help your clients get into action. The belief that they can do it. Almost all of the other factors contribute to this one belief.

Let's look at an example that most of us are probably familiar with...

Learning to ride a bike.

How did you learn this skill? It likely took multiple attempts over a period of time and there may have been fear or even discomfort/pain involved if you fell off, so what motivated you to start learning and to keep up your progress?

• First of all, you were probably motivated to ride your bike for various internal (intrinsic) reasons -- like wanting to have more freedom to roam or to join friends on adventures You believed it was better than the status quo

• You probably had a caring adult who knew how to ride a bike explaining the process to you. A simple process

• The adult probably also demonstrated how to mount the bike, how to pedal, how to brake, how to steer, and where to ride the bike. Opportunities to observe

• Perhaps you had training wheels at first to get used to some aspects of being on a bike. Opportunities to practice & a chance to succeed

• Then, when you felt confident enough, the adult teacher probably held your seat and ran with you while you got the hang of riding without training wheels.

Most of all, though, you probably had this caring adult telling you step by step throughout the learning journey that you could do it, comforting you when you were afraid, reminding you of the other times you've learned to do something difficult, and directing you to all the fun you'll get to have when you learn to do this.

Happy Course Creating!

Have a spectacular week folks!

Jess Paré

Founder & Chief Learning Alchemist

**Book a Course Clarity Call to get clear on whether an online course is right for you!

About The Lab!

Thanks for joining me here in the "lab" as we explore what it takes to transform your wisdom and knowledge into programs, courses, and products you can share with your clients in physical reality. Just as the alchemists of old experimented with combining different elements to see what the outcome would be, I see myself as a bit of a mad scientist (with better hair!). By pouring the content swirling in your head into the beaker of my design process, we alchemize your content into something magical that you can share with your audience.