Introduction
There are a myriad of reasons as to why it is important to be a perpetual student in life. Whether it be learning new skills to increase your income potential, learning a new language to communicate with locals when you travel, learning a new hobby to make new friends or simply educating yourself so you are better at socializing at gatherings, the value of education and the pursuit of knowledge cannot be overstated. Traditional education is just the beginning of a lifelong journey that extends far beyond the classroom. Being someone who continuously seeks to learn and grow opens new worlds and expands future opportunities in life. Gone are the days of a single job that lasts an entire career. Today’s workers must embrace an ever changing society where someone will have 3-5 careers throughout their working lives.
Embracing the Continuous Learning Mindset
Being a perpetual student is first and foremost a mindset shift. You must cultivate this mindset by first accepting that the world is an awesome and ever-changing place and learning about people, places and cultures can unlock new passions and desires leading to breakthroughs in your life. Remove the negative thought patterns of having to re-gear for new challenges in life. It has never been easier in the history of the world to learn new skills and explore a new, brighter and more promising future. YouTube, podcasts, blogs, online learning platforms, e-books, etc.; there is no end to the amount of free or low cost resources that are available to anyone today with an internet connection. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. Today, that teacher is standing by and ready when you are to adopt the perpetual student mindset.
Harness the World’s Power
We are witnessing a world today where the skills and knowledge you possess today are becoming obsolete tomorrow. Exponential technologies including artificial intelligence, robotics, drones, 3-D printing and synthetic biology are disrupting every sector of society. Instead of fretting that AI will take your job, you should embrace the opportunity to grow and learn. Utilize the nearly unlimited resources you have at your disposal to change your and the world’s trajectory. How can you capitalize on these technologies and tools for learning and become a better person or make this world a better place? How can you disrupt your current industry utilizing these technologies? Even if you are not a technical person, you can still take advantage of these technologies by learning their potential use cases and applications. Then you can work with technologists to implement a solution for you or your company.
Expand Your Curiosity
Curiosity is the driving force behind lifelong learning. It’s the innate desire to understand, explore and question the world around us. Curious individuals are more likely to seek out new information and engage in learning experiences. Open your mind to new thoughts, beliefs, challenges and information by exploring diverse subjects and interests that you may have never considered before. This could unlock passions or talents that you were previously unaware existed. Learning from a vast array of fields can lead to breakthroughs and new perspectives. It’s this curiosity that fuels the perpetual student’s quest for knowledge making them more open to exploring diverse subjects and adapting to change.
Challenge Yourself to Grow
Every year, set a goal to learn a new skill or subject. Find something that has interested you in the past and make a goal to learn it next year. Have you always wanted to SCUBA dive, play the piano, learn a new language or how to dance? Let next year be your year to embrace this challenge. Dedicate time each week to advance your skill. Set an achievable goal and track your progress to success. The more the learn, the more it motivates you to learn. Celebrate wins along the way. Take a trip to test your new diving skills, invite friends over to showcase your newfound music abilities, go dancing with friends and dazzle them on the dance floor. Encourage your friends to grow themselves as well and you can be each other’s accountability partners.
Conclusion
33% of high school graduates never read a book after high school. The numbers are fortunately better for college graduates. With the plethora of resources available today at low or no cost, there is no excuse anymore not to be a perpetual student. You are never too old to learn a new skill or craft. Step out of your comfort zone, turn off the television and quit making excuses and start your learning adventures today. It will completely change your life as it will increase your confidence, expand your network and open new worlds of opportunity. Reflect on the journey along the way. It allows you to recognize how far you’ve come, what you’ve learned and where you still have room for improvement. It will also help you uncover new passions and interests that you can add to your future studies. Stop delaying, pick a subject and dive in. Your future self will thank you for being a better you.