We asked our Deputy VP of Competence and Technology, Stojan Peshov, what we do when it comes to learning and development, and his insights were so insightful that we decided they deserve a space here. Below you can read everything he had to say about learning.
As Asimov once said, “People think of education as something that they can finish. And what’s more, when they finish, it’s a rite of passage. People don’t stop things they enjoy doing just because they reach a certain age.”
I often use this quote in presentations. It captures the essence of what I believe: learning should never end. I also like to share a metaphor that compares scientists and engineers. A scientist constantly asks questions to expand knowledge. An engineer applies that knowledge to solve problems. One is theory, the other is practice. But both are essential—and neither is ever complete.
If you stop learning, you risk falling into stagnation and losing motivation. The same applies to choosing a profession. When your work aligns with your passions, it naturally drives you to keep learning and evolving.
The Importance of Learning in IT
Learning is equally important everywhere, but in this industry it’s more critical to stay in tune with new tech trends, frameworks, languages and so on. As technology grows, so does accumulating new knowledge. Too many news and new studies are done daily for you to say, I don’t care, I’ll keep up without following.
Like Richard Hamming explains it in “Learning to Learn“ “Much of what I did in teaching was not what I had seen done when I was a student. You should not assume that because you were taught one way, that is how you should teach.” This reflects Hamming’s broader point: effective teaching often means rethinking how people actually learn – meaning, we can’t mentor in the old ways. We have to continue learning, especially now with AI, when all knowledge is summarised for us and we have an entirely new way of doing, understanding, and approaching a problem. That’s why self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is that should never end.
How to Stay Motivated
Traditional education systems rely heavily on external rewards like grades, praise, or money. While these can drive short-term performance, they often fail to sustain long-term motivation. I believe that intrinsic motivation—driven by curiosity, personal interest, and self-fulfillment—is far more powerful and sustainable.
The Motivational Cycle: Needs, Goals, and Values
I often refer to the motivational cycle, where our needs lead to goals, and our values influence the path we take to achieve them.
For example:
- Need: Feeling thirsty
- Goal: Find water
- Drive: The discomfort of thirst
- Incentive: The relief after drinking
In a work setting, the same logic applies:
- Need: Delivering a feature
- Goal: Completing a user story
- Incentive: Client approval
But what makes us choose one task over another? That’s where values come in. I rarely pick UX-related work, because I value optimization and development more. Your choices reflect your internal compass.
Unclear Goals
Without clear goals, it’s easy to lose motivation. I always emphasize the importance of aligning personal values with learning goals. When our goals resonate with our core values, we’re more likely to stay motivated and committed.
Learning Doesn’t Stop at Seniority
Growth doesn’t stop at seniority. You can’t stop even if you are a senior. Senior developers usually get into the mentality that they are tired of learning, but this is where we come to self-motivation. When people are on the bench they usually ask what the company needs. I say it should be the other way around – find motivation to keep going.
Let’s say their interests are in hardware, or the internet of things, or even music – they need to understand what motivates them to like these things, and apply that to their work. So, yes, seniors need to keep learning – and HOW is the most important question. They need to find their motivators to continue growing and adopt this mindset. Motivation is undoubtedly the most important discipline that everyone needs to have for self growth. While continuously working on yourself, you also work on the bigger picture – your team, company, industry, the world. Even when on the bench, we encourage people to keep growing, and not just switch on another project for the sake of having to do something. Every value is important for a person and their development. By understanding our values and aligning them with our goals, we can improve both our learning and performance.
I’ve learned that values are not inherently good or bad—they simply reflect what matters most to us. For example, someone who values pleasure might focus on creating fun, engaging learning experiences, while someone who values financial stability might prioritise career advancement. Understanding our values helps us set meaningful goals and take actions that align with our true selves. When something motivates you, try and apply it in everyday life situations, basically, find a reason to use that interest to grow in different parts of your life. Using creativity on a day to day basis is a way to express yourself, and it allows you to satisfy more than one need.
Here at Nion we have a concept for personal development, and by that I mean there is no strict hierarchy, but there are Consultant Managers who care for every consultant on each team. Everyone has their own unique story, so that’s why everyone gets the same generous treatment and possibilities – a chance to find a middle point of choosing what they want to learn and what is important for an upgrade in the field. When there isn’t a combined decision, the goal is not reached, and with that there is no motivation. But, when people know exactly what they want, they reach their goals by being self-driven and constantly motivated. That makes us as a company even more convinced to give you more and more opportunities to grow and develop.
Final thoughts
For us, learning and development are an important part of the job. They’re part of how we stay curious, relevant, and ready for whatever the industry brings our way. In IT Consulting, things move fast, and we believe the best way to keep up is to keep learning. That’s why we create space for it: through our internal domain forums where people exchange knowledge, external guest lectures and talks that bring in fresh perspectives, and dedicated trainings that help teams grow in everything from security and agile to leadership. Whether it’s through our internal academies or our wider Nion network events (in all locations), we’re intentional about supporting growth in ways that feel meaningful and connected to real work.