Learning Stories

Writing Your Learning Story: A Guided Reflection

By taking time to explore your learning experiences, you can gain deeper insights into your journey, identify key themes, and clarify your aspirations. Writing your learning story is a private, reflective exercise— borrowing a reflective writing format common to professional learning programmes, this activity provides a word-based opportunity to think deeply about where you’ve been, who you are now, and where you want to go.

Find a journal, a notebook, or a new, clean document on your computer. Dedicate 15–30 minutes to responding to the prompts below. You can write freely without worrying about structure, grammar, or style. This is your personal record, and no one else needs to read it unless you choose to share it. That said, you might find it valuable to discuss your reflections with a mentor, manager, or during an annual review. Sharing can open up conversations about your development, strengths, and next steps.

You can choose how long to spend with these prompts. You may prefer to work through the key questions quickly, to give an overview of your experience, or you might take a longer time to contemplate the extension prompts and write a longer piece. Either way you can choose to return to your notes over time, or use them as a starting point for broader reflections. Choosing a learning journey to focus on will provide a timeframe for the reflection (see the Activities overview tab for notes on choosing a 'learning journey'). 

Prompts for Your Learning Story

1. What was it about the particular learning experiences identified that made them notably encouraging or challenging?

   • Think back to your learning journey. What moments stand out? 

   • If they were encouraging, consider the factors that contributed to this. Was it perhaps the support of a mentor or peer? The satisfaction of achieving a goal? The alignment of the experience with your values and interests? 

   • If they were challenging, what made them difficult? Was it perhaps the complexity of the task, uncertainty in your abilities, or external pressures? Reflect on how you approached and overcame these challenges.

   • How do these moments continue to shape your learning? 

2. How do you see yourself as a learner now?

   • Reflect on your current understanding of yourself as someone who learns and grows. Do you see yourself as confident, curious, or resilient? Or do you feel you’re still finding your footing as a learner?

   • Consider how you approach new learning opportunities. Are you proactive and enthusiastic, or do you feel hesitant or uncertain?

   • Think about what drives your learning. Do you seek out knowledge for personal growth, professional advancement, or to address specific challenges?

3. Has your perception of yourself as a learner changed as a result of engagement with your learning journey?

   • Reflect on how your learning has evolved during your involvement in the learning journey? Have you discovered new strengths, interests, or skills?

   • Consider moments where your mindset shifted. Did you overcome self-doubt? Develop a deeper appreciation for reflective practice? Realise you could tackle challenges you once thought were beyond your abilities?

   • Reflect on whether the learning experience has introduced you to new ways of learning or perhaps even validated methods you were already comfortable with.

4. Has your perception of yourself as a professional changed as a result of engagement with the learning experience?

   • Think about how your professional identity has been shaped or influenced by your learning experiences. Have you developed greater confidence in your abilities?

   • Consider how you view your role now. Are you more aware of the impact you have on stakeholders or colleagues? Have your values or priorities shifted?

   • Reflect on whether the programme has influenced how you view your future career path. Has it inspired you to take on new challenges, step into leadership roles, or specialise in a particular area?

5. If you could go back and speak to yourself at the beginning of your learning journey, what would you say?

   • Imagine giving advice, encouragement, or reassurance to your past self. What do you wish you had known before your started?

   • Would you remind yourself of your resilience and ability to overcome challenges? Highlight the importance of staying open to growth and change?

   • Reflect on what you might tell your past self about the value of persistence, embracing discomfort, or celebrating small wins along the way.

Next Steps: Using Your Reflections

Once you’ve completed your learning story, take a moment to review what you’ve written. What stands out to you? Are there themes, patterns, or insights that feel particularly important?

Consider how you can use this reflection:

• Share your insights with a mentor, manager, tutor, or colleague to spark conversations about your professional development.

• Use your reflections to inform your goals for the future (see the Professional Goal Setting activity). Are there skills you’d like to develop, challenges you’d like to tackle, or opportunities you’d like to explore?

• Revisit your learning story to reflect on how far you've come. 

© 2025. This work is openly licensed via CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.