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Do you know what cigarettes and schools have in common?

At first glance, they seem completely unrelated; but be patient, delve deeper with me, and you might discover an interesting relationship that profoundly affects your behavior and the structure of society.

To save you time, let me answer the question for you: Cigarettes and educational institutions like schools both create specific problems that you never had before and then present themselves as the indispensable solution to the problems they create, pulling you into an increasingly dependent cycle—for better or for worse.

To understand this better, think about cigarettes: the relationship between this product and its users is very clear but insidious. For example, you might start smoking at 18 out of curiosity or peer pressure, initially just smoking a few cigarettes while out with friends. After a few weeks, you start craving nicotine when you’re not smoking, especially in stressful situations. This is a new, “artificial” problem that cigarettes deliberately embed into your life because it’s clear that if you never smoked, you wouldn’t have the restlessness that comes with nicotine withdrawal. To address the craving, you smoke again, feel temporarily comfortable, but then the craving returns, and you gradually smoke more, becoming increasingly dependent on nicotine.

Similarly, schools also create a series of tasks, mostly “artificial” problems that do not exist and do not affect life outside of school. Within the educational system, you receive homework and weekly tests that require you to spend a lot of time studying and revising. Though it may feel stressful, you gradually improve problem-solving skills, time management, and learn how to study effectively. Teachers provide feedback through grades and comments, and praise and high scores motivate you to study harder. The time management and problem-solving skills learned in school help you face challenges in work and life later on.

These examples show how both cigarettes and the educational system create a dependency loop (bad) or encouragement loop (good) in which the product or system creates a problem only for the user or student to rely on the product or system to solve the problems (which the product or system created in the first place).

But here’s an important distinction: the dependency on cigarettes is clearly harmful, offering no real benefits and endangering health. Conversely, the challenges posed by schools are created with beneficial intentions. They aim to build fundamental skills, enhance critical thinking, and encourage lifelong learning habits.

So what happens when we leave the formal education environment?

Over the past four years, I’ve transitioned from being a university lecturer to teaching English courses in the private education sector, from teaching large classes to one-on-one sessions, and from teaching students to teaching working adults. These thoughts are my personal observations after witnessing many adult learners, who, despite being more eager to learn than many students still in school, have lower academic achievement, learn more slowly, and lack the persistence of those still in school.

The most important reason that made me sit down and write this long article stems from a question posed to Mr. Nam, a respected friend and adult English learner. I asked him this question from his first lesson with me, and after nearly a year of learning, I asked him again recently:

“Why are you learning English? What problem do you want to solve in your life with the English you are learning? How will your life change if you succeed in learning English?”

This is a question that I believe, if the learner cannot answer, they will not succeed in learning, regardless of whether they study for one year or many years, whether they are diligent, or spend a lot of money. I am a living proof of this: both for my success in learning English and my failure in learning Japanese.

How should an adult continue to engage in learning and self-improvement when the preset challenges of school are no longer present? My answer is: they need a “personal project.”

“Project” means it is a process with a start and end point, has a deadline, creates a product, solves an unresolved problem, and has clear plans and goals.

“Personal” means it is something meaningful to the individual, suitable to their passions, personality, strengths, and specific life circumstances.

The “artificial” problems staged by schools often revolve around hypothetical or simulated scenarios, which may lack direct relevance to real-life challenges. In contrast, personal projects are challenges initiated by yourself, not something imposed by teachers, the education system, or your boss’s KPI. A personal project must be a truly practical problem that solves a real issue in your personal life, preferably a task that produces a product you can showcase to the world proudly. Most importantly, it should be a task that requires you to apply the knowledge you have newly acquired to solve it.

Personal projects are a powerful tool because they transform learning from a passive activity into a purposeful, proactive effort. When you engage in a project that feels personally relevant, your motivation skyrockets. You are not just learning to pass a test; you are solving a problem that you care deeply about. This personal connection with your projects generates natural motivation for you to delve deeper and work harder than any externally assigned task can inspire. School projects, although beneficial in teaching structured problem-solving, often lack this personal investment and emotional engagement, which can limit their effectiveness in instilling a passion for the subject. In contrast, personal projects leverage your unique interests and ambitions, making learning a more vibrant and transformative journey.

I can use myself as an example. Those who have followed me over the years will know I am not lying.

For example, after learning English as a second language, I chose to pair it with a personal project of learning pedagogical skills to teach English better. The better I learned English, the better I taught English. Conversely, the more successful I was in teaching English, the deeper I understood and effectively learned the language.

Another compelling personal project related to my English learning was translating. I translated everything, from manga and anime subtitles during high school to children’s books in my first year of university, to professional books in my final year. This effort not only honed my language skills but also served the global fan community, adding a sense of service and connection to my learning endeavor.

I also want to share a failure. I studied in a bilingual English-Japanese class in middle and high school, continued Japanese as a second language in the first two years of university, and self-studied Japanese for another year to take the master’s entrance exam. That’s 12 consecutive years of learning a language, from 12 to 24 years old, reaching N3 (intermediate level), and then forgetting it all. I was not lazy, but I had no problem in my life that learning Japanese could solve. So Japanese came with difficulty and left quickly, remaining one of my most regrettable failures to this day.

You need problems to solve. They should be real problems, not artificial ones created by others. They should be projects with an endpoint, practical products, deeply meaningful to you, making your life better, and leading you to solve new, more difficult, grander problems. Only then can you have the motivation to learn and progress!

The beauty of personal projects lies in their unique ability to make us deeply reflect on essential questions: Why am I pursuing this learning? What benefits will I receive from this knowledge? How will this learning journey improve my life and the lives of those around me? Without a clear purpose, our learning efforts often feel disconnected and uninspired, like a boat drifting aimlessly on a vast ocean. But with a well-defined “why,” education transforms into a powerful tool for personal and communal transformation. When you align your learning goals with your personal aspirations, you infuse your educational journey with meaning. It’s not just about acquiring information; it’s about shaping your future and the future of those you interact with.

Consider the difference between reading about theoretical concepts and applying what you’ve learned to solve a problem that directly affects your community. The latter not only reinforces your knowledge but also deepens your connection to your surroundings and elevates your role in the community. Moreover, when your personal and professional development is intertwined with your learning projects, you create a feedback loop of motivation and success. Each milestone achieved on your personal project path feeds back into your motivation, propelling you forward, driving you to tackle more complex issues and inspiring you to reach new heights. This self-sustaining cycle of learning and application is what turns the pursuit of knowledge into a lifelong passion rather than a fleeting interest.

In my own journey, whether it’s becoming a better English teacher, translating books, working on the Reading Project, or sharing free English knowledge on social media, each project is driven by a very personal “why,” transcending the basic desire to learn out of curiosity or for money and career. These projects are not just about mastering a skill; they are about making a difference, contributing something meaningful, and leaving a lasting impact both in my life and the lives of others. This is the power of knowing your “why.” It’s not just about finding a reason to learn; it’s about discovering the motivations that align with your deepest values and aspirations.

So, as you contemplate your next learning endeavor, ask yourself not only what you want to learn, but also why you want to learn it. How will this knowledge serve a greater purpose? How will it enrich your life and the lives of others? What problem in your daily life ignites your passion for finding a solution? What dream project have you set aside, thinking it too ambitious or the timing not right? How will your current learning goals propel you towards addressing these pressing questions?

I encourage you to pause and deeply reflect on these aspects as you plan your next learning effort. This is not just routine planning; it’s a clear call to align your learning with your deepest values and aspirations. Start with a small actionable step that you can take today. Even the greatest journeys begin with the smallest decision of: where do I want to go? Visualize your broader goal—where do you see this project taking you? Imagine the skills you will develop, the people you will impact, and the personal satisfaction you will achieve. Now, hold that vision firmly in your mind and channel your energy into making it a reality.

If you are an adult, and you are learning something, think about this question. What is your personal project to use what you are learning? Consider this not just an invitation but also a challenge—a challenge to redefine the meaning of learning and contribution in your life. Turn education from a traditional, often passive process into a vibrant personal adventure that resonates through every aspect of your existence. Your learning project is an opportunity to push your limits, to innovate, and to make a difference. Seize this opportunity to turn your education into an exciting exploration of possibilities and interests. Transform education into a personal adventure that not only reflects who you are but also empowers you to become who you dream to be.