The Lie That Learning Should Feel Pleasurable

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Many students are sold a lie that learning should feel pleasurable, and when that’s not their experience, the cognitive dissonance eats them alive.

It’s like someone signs up for strength & conditioning at a gym and the trainer tells them that they should feel pleasure doing pushups, sprints, deadlifts, etc. Or like a nutritionist saying “you should enjoy the taste of broccoli.” Completely alienating.

What a good trainer will say is “Yes, it feels taxing, and that’s okay, that’s normal. Our goal here is not pleasure, it’s satisfaction – making progress, doing things you weren’t able to do before, feeling good about what you’ve accomplished, transforming yourself in ways that are beneficial for your future. You’re here to work, so let’s do work.”

People respect that, and there’s a kind of comfort in knowing that we’re all here to do serious work. Whether it’s the gym or the classroom, that’s what people need to hear.

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