You can make deliberate choices that shape your learning environment and experience. Understanding what motivates you, helps you start working on a task, and encourages you to persist are all key pieces of self-knowledge you can use.

For example, imagine you have an assignment due at the end of the week. You have one section left to complete and you feel like you just can’t get it done. Think about what successful strategies you’ve used in the past to persist. What helps you “hang in there” until you get something done? Maybe you reward yourself with a special treat, or arrange your learning environment in a particular way that helps you focus. Or perhaps having a step-by-step plan in place before you begin working has helped you follow-through on a task until the end. Whatever it is, it will be unique to you. And you can use your self-knowledge to personalize any learning experience so it suits you best.