Detail from School of Athens, fresco by Raphael, 1508–11; in the Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican. 

Joi Ito, the former Director of MIT Media  Lab, defined Intent-driven learners, as people
"who are just not able to sit through and learn things unless we know how we are going to use them. Intent-driven learners need a purpose, a project, and in pursuit of that project, they'll learn everything they need to learn to get it done."
                       
- Joi Ito former Director of MIT's Media Lab

I am an "interest-driven learner"!

I believe curiosity is another drive to learn or study new things. Even if not inherent to our profession, new topics can be useful for having new points of view and developing critical thinking that is not too influenced by conformism.