I find people who are always learning to be stimulating to be around. I had a friend in his late 80’s that was bringing me articles and showing me references to support his point of view on a health policy issue. He was always interested in things I shared with him. He’d read, comment and explore possibilities between our different opinions. He was always learning. We had many a good discussion and learned from each other.
Some would call him an adaptive learner. people with this ability are always willing to be novices, learning with an open mind – realizing there are often competing ideas of value. I told him one time he was my role model!
The Center for Creative Leadership calls this trait “learning agility”. Learning agile folks seek experiences that might change their perspective. They are willing to change their behavior to respond to feedback. They are always testing theories against different situations to see how robust they are. They are good listeners, seeking to really understand what is being said. These people usually outperform their peers because they are always learning, refining, gaining insights from their experiences. These are also the people who are sought out for advice. They are respected for their wisdom.