How do you know when you have learned something?

I was on a hypnosis course in Lancaster, PA, with an assorted bunch of people including a black athlete and sports writer called Len from Louisiana - great guy, very clued in.  He knew he had learned something when he got a "kick inside".  He explained that athletes really have to tune in to their bodies and the signals they give.

Most days I learn a lot about different things - the Internet is full of information and I've got plenty of books and magazines to keep me busy sucking in information.  However, I make a big distinction between learning about and learning how to.  Learning about is nice entertainment, like watching a documentary on TV, and the information may come in handy sooner or later.

However the sort of learning that I particularly seek is the sort of learning that translates into new behaviour, whether it's internal (thinking and feeling) or external.  You might call it "learning how to". 

As one of my favourite trainers and teachers Robert Dilts puts it, "it's just a rumour until it's in the muscle".  Or as I put it, "you don't know until you do."