You Don’t Learn by Knowing. You Learn by Doing.
The power of experiential learning to unlock unlearning.
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” — Alvin Toffler
Old Maps Don’t Take Us to New Places
In most organizations, learning is still treated like software installation: download new information, install it, and execute it. But that model is dangerously outdated.
We don’t begin learning with an empty mind. We begin with assumptions, habits, routines — and these old patterns can quietly sabotage even the best new information.
This is the paradox: To learn, we must first unlearn.
Why Learning Fails Without Unlearning
When teams struggle to adopt new practices or mindsets, it’s rarely because the new knowledge is too complex. More often, it’s because the old knowledge is too comfortable.
Our brains love efficiency. Once a task becomes second nature, it’s encoded as automatic behavior. That’s brilliant for driving or typing—but disastrous when the world changes faster than our reflexes.
The Backwards Bicycle: A Metaphor for Mental Models
Engineer and science communicator Destin Sandlin was challenged to ride a bicycle that had one twist: turn the handlebars left, and the wheel goes right. Right becomes left.
The result? He could not ride it.
It took him eight months of daily practice to override his brain’s original wiring. But here’s the kicker—when he finally succeeded, he could no longer ride a normal bike. His old model had been replaced.
Unlearning is not erasing the past; it’s reprogramming it.
Why the Brain Fights Change
The brain creates efficiency by forming “neural pathways”—like hiking trails carved by repetition. The more we walk the path, the deeper the groove. Learning a new way isn’t like writing on a clean page; it’s like trying to sketch over an old, permanent ink drawing.
The Psychology of Unlearning
Unlearning doesn’t begin with knowledge. It begins with humility.
It requires letting go of “I know how this works” and embracing “I’m willing to see it differently.”
The real enemy isn’t ignorance—it’s certainty.
From Knowing to Doing: How to Build a New Mental Model
- Acknowledge the Bias of Experience
- Name the Obsolete Pattern
- Introduce a New Model
- Repetition is Revolution
- Celebrate Conscious Incompetence
How Teamvine Helps
We’ve built Teamvine on the principles of experiential learning, behavioral rewiring, and reflective practice.
Our platform allows teams to explore and embed new models of thinking—not through slides, but through immersive experiences that make old habits visible and new ones stick.
One Last Thought
Unlearning is not a technical process—it’s an emotional journey.
It’s not about adding more. It’s about making room for better.
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all.
It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas.” — Steve Jobs
Unlearning is that no—the one that makes space for your best yes.
