5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying an Online Course
As a life-long learner and someone who loves to dive into a topic and have a lot of options (read: ADHD), I’ve done a LOT of online courses and programs. I am so grateful for the plethora of free and paid options out there that have helped me grow my business, create spiritual practices, learn new skills, see what’s possible, and just be a better all-round human. And I love the flexibility of an online curriculum.
But, I’ve found that there are a few questions I wish I would have asked before I pulled out a credit card or committed my time to some of them.
For example, one time, I spent thousands of dollars on a course that I didn’t finish. Why? Not because it was a bad course, but because it didn't help me with my next goal. It was a course that taught how to go all in on a component of my business I planned to develop a few years out. I was several, major steps away from being able to do anything with the information in that course.
But I didn’t slow down and think about those things before buying… and ended up burning through cash, spending hours trying to make the course work for me, and feeling guilty for not getting through it or doing all of the work.
To help you save your energy, time, and money, I’ve boiled down my hard-won lessons into 5 questions that will help you dedicate your resources to the right course, at the right time.
What is the ROI?
First thing’s first: what are you going to get out of this? Just like when calculating ROI for your business, it’s important to look at your Return on Investment (ROI) from a few different angles.
→ Time
→ Skills
→ Money
→ Network
→ Efficiency/Energy
This also ties into the question “What’s your next goal?” Will the results from this course or programs support you in achieving that next goal?
And, of course, will what you pay for this course - in your time, money, and energy - be worth the results? While there’s no way to know that 100% for sure before you take a course, you can be intentional with mapping out your expectations, the work you need to do to achieve the expected results, and if those things are really in alignment with your mission, values, and purpose.
How do you learn?
If you haven’t done a learning style assessment, I highly recommend you do that before hitting the ‘Buy’ button on your next online course. There are a ton of free assessments out there that can help you determine if your learning style is auditory, visual, or kinesthetic (tactile). It also matters if you prefer to learn on your own, get 1:1 coaching, or work through your questions and issues in a group setting.
You might prefer a combination of learning styles and approaches, and that’s ok, too. There are courses and programs out there that will serve up a little bit of each. Make sure the course you’re about to enroll in supports your learning needs.
What are you ready for?
This question is about your spiritual capacity and what you’re ready to hold. This can be uncomfortable, but it’s one of those times when you need to slow down to speed up. Sit. Really examine where you’re at on your journey. Are you feeling worthy of the amazing results you know are possible with the program you’re considering? Have you created the space in your life to really do the work on this course? What does it mean to be successful in this program, and can you imagine how you will be successful in this program?
If you’ve aligned this spiritual aspect with your goals, then the answer to this question will end up being very similar to the one you give to “What’s your next goal?” It’s actually a great barometer to see how aligned you are. If your energy and your goals are out of alignment, the answers may look very different. If they are, it’s time to revisit your goals and focus on your spiritual strategies.
What’s your track record?
I’m not trying to call you out if you’ve committed to courses or programs that you’ve never finished… or if you finish them but are a serial course-taker, looking for that next shiny course immediately after finishing one… or even if you take multiple courses at one time. But if you’re seeing a pattern that doesn’t lend itself to you actually showing up, putting in the work, and getting what you need out of online courses, it is time to stop and ask WHY before committing to another one. Some of the other questions posed in this article might help you answer this one:
Did you take courses that you weren’t really ready for?
Are you taking courses that don’t align with your learning style?
Have you enrolled in a course only to realize it wasn’t really going to help you create the business you want?
If you’ve had a hard time finishing online courses in the past, or getting what you need from them, it doesn’t mean you aren’t capable or don’t have the time. It means you need to spend a little more time up front making sure a course is going to work for you. That it will meet you where you're at right now, and take you to YOUR next level.
What’s your next goal?
In my example of spending thousands on a course I didn’t finish, the problem was partly that I wasn’t ready. But it was also that the goal that course was meant to help me with was still a few (major) steps away.
This doesn’t mean that you should only buy courses that serve an immediate need or short-term goal. But what I think is important is a review of your goals, and how a course supports them.
For example, you have a goal of owning a profitable horse ranch. But you don’t even own a horse, yet - let alone know how to buy one. If you find a course that teaches you all about how to operate a profitable horse ranch, save it for later. Before you go down that path, you need to figure out how to buy a horse first!
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Bottom line: online courses are like romantic relationships.
Don’t commit based on potential, or if you don’t really know what you want in a partner.
Do show up and put in the work. Take ownership of your part in the relationship.
Do jump in head-first when it’s aligned, supportive, and adds value to your life.
