Embracing Autonomy

Introduction:

Think of a scenario where you have depended on someone else for a specific task or assignment. You probably feel relieved that you do not have the burden of focusing your energy on that task, and you can now focus on something else. Likewise, in group situations where a small to large collage of people with various mindsets, talents, and work ethics, you may also feel less stress because of your peers around you.

Solidarity:

While it is important to work with a group and in unison, it can have its potential drawbacks when utilized too much. There may be times when you need to focus your efforts, and simply relying on others too much may hinder your growth as an individual. Use a project as an example; you and your peers have probably split the entire assignment into different sections for each person to contribute. In theory, it sounds efficient as you are each finishing up a fraction of an entire whole. However, when you realize you are missing out on other content because of this fraction, your learning and growth become impaired. You start to not care about the other parts of your own project, one you should be very familiar with, because it was not technically assigned to you to complete. If you have a project on the entire world and your portion is only North America, your knowledge is still vague about other regions, such as Europe and Asia. Working in a group is effective, but it should be monitored, and you should constantly try to understand your learning.

Autonomy:

Contrary to a group, learning tasks individually, without relying heavily on others, imposes significant benefits. Although you may miss out on learning from your peers and receiving knowledge from them, you are challenging yourself to work harder, as there is more work for you to complete. You need to finish the whole instead of a fraction. There is more time that needs to be dedicated towards assignments and work rather than slacking because you’ve finished your part.

Learning new skills, such as English, requires heavy independence. You can receive guidance, but English is a mind game, and you need to focus your efforts on improving your skills through your own experiences. Not understanding a vocab word or a grammar phrase allows you to revisit your notes and highlight mistakes that might have led you to that answer. Whereas in a group, if there is a mistake, you most likely aren’t revisiting and learning from it. You would probably just search for the best possible answer because you want to impress your group mates. You are too focused on your surroundings. Learning by yourself allows you to focus on yourself. You are your own opponent, and you need to learn how to navigate across different fields.

Important Skills:

There are several important skills for everyone to learn. Some include 

• Learning how to research by yourself

• Setting restrictions and goals for yourself

• Try your hardest to learn everything in group work

• Analysis of mistakes

As mentioned previously, you are focusing on yourself, which indicates you need to concentrate your attention internally.

Conclusion:

Learning how to live and act independently is an important trait everyone should be comfortable with. You should learn how to manage tasks yourself and not expect anything from anyone. Everyone has their own problems and circumstances they worry about, and most likely, they probably do not want to spend much time helping you achieve your goals. You need to take proper action and measures to maximize yourself and your goals. Independent research is crucial for learning these skills. Learning a new language is also a great way to challenge your mind and determination. You are not focusing on other individuals but rather yourself.