There has never been more good learning available for free. Google, HubSpot, Meta, Harvard, MIT and others publish serious courses at no cost. Most people sign up and never finish. The problem is rarely access. It is attention and a plan.
Where to look
We keep a hand-picked list in our free learning library. These courses belong to the people who made them, and you take them on their own sites. We do not copy or sell them. Check each site for its current terms, because free offers and certificates can change.
How adults finish courses
Adults learn best when the learning solves a problem they have today. So before you start, do this:
- Write your problem. "I post every day and get no customers." Be specific.
- Write your goal. "I want five enquiries a week from social media."
- Choose one course that speaks to that problem. Not three.
- Book the time. Thirty minutes, three times a week, written in your diary.
- Do one thing after each lesson. Change one post, send one message, fix one page.
- Tell someone and ask them to check on you in a week.
When to pay for help
A free course gives you the knowledge. Paid learning is worth it when you want a path built around your situation, a task after every lesson, and a person to hold you to it. That is what we are building at NEXT STEP Academy, starting with the Build The Machine course for founders.
Start with one free course and one task this week.
Written by Mark Nii Barnor Adom. About the author