No matter where you are at in your career path learning is key to growth. The consistent drive to add more knowledge to your arsenal helps you to understand what other possibilities are available to you. Maybe you are happy in your position and don’t see yourself anywhere else; however, it is still important to keep yourself driven and hungry for more.
There is a direct connection between people who strive for consistent growth in their personal lives and how that connects to their professional development. A company is only as good as its employees and their desire to do better, get better, be better is an incredibly valuable asset to any employer. When the time comes to make changes whether that be promotions or layoffs those who have consistently strived to make themselves better will stand out. So how does one join the ranks of other lifelong learners?
Be willing. Seems simple enough but people often find themselves too busy to carve out time for themselves. They may see seeking out information on subjects that may not seem directly relevant to their current jobs or personal lives like an extra that they cannot afford. Are you someone who has to schedule time at the gym? Or space to meditate? Just like everything else in our lives we have to make the time for things we feel are important to us.
Take inventory. There is a difference between formal education and seeking out alternative ways of educating yourself. Taking inventory on what you know, what you want to know and how you want to use that in the future can provide guidance on how this new knowledge will benefit you. Start small and sign up for free online lectures or community events. If something sparks your interest dig in deeper, find a class at a community college, schedule a mock interview with someone in that industry to see how that knowledge translates into an actual career or job and how you can move into that field. You never know what else could be out there for you until you try. You might think there is no way but if you start small and stay focused on the end goal you may surprise yourself by how much you grow along the way.
We are in a time where new information is readily available from any place at any time, however, it needs to be a constant active choice to create the space and time to allow this process to happen. This drive, this desire, has a direct correlation to your performance as an employee. How do you want to be seen? What else do you want to learn? How do you support your own growth and learning process? You have to want it, make the time for it and be willing to be honest on what you want to do with this new knowledge. You never know what doors you might be opening in the process.
