Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to highlight challenges and opportunities that surround the process of learning with an emphasis on higher-order learning and learning as behavior. Higher-order learning has been conceptualized as learning behavior that can be learned. Design/methodology/approach: The holistic framework regarding higher-order learning has been proposed on the basis of systems perspective and critical thinking of previous contributions. Findings: A review and analysis of learning, especially higher-order learning, resulted in its conceptualization and guidelines on how to implement it. Higher-order learning is a learning behavior that can be learned and implemented in many situations in complex social and organizational practices. Research limitations/implications: Conclusions and remarks provided in this paper need further empirical testing and validation. Practical implications: Implications for practitioners have been identified in terms of recommendations for implementing higher-order learning as a learning behavior that can be learned. Social implications: Dedicated implementation of higher-order learning and learning as behavior can bring true change to the current social and economic paradigm and lasting solutions to the so-called "stubborn problems" of pollution, abuse, destruction and poverty, and can cause systemic transformation of our declining society. Originality/value: Higher-order learning has been conceptualized and challenges surrounding it have been identified along with suggestions on how to overcome them.