There’s a trend making its way through productivity and personal development circles.
The “personal curriculum.”
This is a deliberate, self-directed approach to learning.
Going beyond random book purchases and podcast scrolling.
When I first heard the term, I had to smile.
I’ve been doing this for years without calling it that.
What Is a Personal Curriculum?
At its core, a personal curriculum is intentional learning.
You choose what you want to learn. You curate the resources. You create structure around it.
It’s treating your personal development with the same rigor as a university treats course design.
But here’s what makes it different from just “reading a lot” or “staying curious”:
It’s strategic. Aimed at a goal and not consuming content randomly.
It’s structured. There’s a plan, even if it’s loose.
It’s yours. No syllabus assigned or irrelevant reading.
Two Ways I’ve Built My Own Curriculum
Looking back, I realize I’ve been running personal curricula in two distinct ways.
#1 – Career-Based Learning
Throughout my career, every new role came with a learning plan.
When I moved into brand character work, I bought books on the topic.
When digital marketing and CRM were the priority, I dove in.
Leadership. Strategy. Content marketing. Loyalty. Sustainability.
Each career transition meant building a curriculum around what I needed to know.
Not waiting for training or hoping I’d pick it up through experience.
I proactively identified the gaps and filled them with intention.
#2 – Word of the Year Practice
In 2015, I started something different.
Each year, I choose a single word as my theme.
Mindful. Joyful. Celebrate. Stabilize. Focus. The list goes on.
The word becomes the lens through which I curate the year.
Nearly every word has brought its own learning curriculum.
Some years, I’ve read a book a month tied to the theme.
Other years, I collected articles, podcasts, and experiences that helped me go deeper.
This is typically focused on my personal growth (not professional).
The theme creates a structure across the year that I’ve found helpful.
Why Personal Curricula Work
Here’s what I’ve learned from years of doing this:
Intentional Focus. When you have a theme or a clear learning goal, you stop consuming content just because it’s there. You become selective.
Momentum. Consuming more than just one book/podcast/video on a topic creates depth you can’t get any other way.
Relevancy. The personal curriculum shifts with your seasons and needs.
Agency. You’re deciding what matters vs. waiting for someone else to tell you.
The Invitation
If you’ve been learning intentionally, you might already have a personal curriculum.
If you haven’t, maybe it’s time to start.
With back-to-school season in full swing, it might be the perfect time to kick things off.
Your Turn
Have you been building your own personal curriculum without realizing it?
What theme or skill could guide your learning in the year ahead?
What’s one book, podcast, or resource you could start with this week?