Develop the habit of continuous personal and professional learning and development
Traditionally, most people associate learning with formal education from a technical school, college, or university. From an early age, we are told that we should get a good education. And, generally speaking, it’s true that a formal education and the resulting qualifications are important. A formal education may maximize your potential to find a better, more satisfying job, earn more, and become more successful in your chosen field. However, learning and growing shouldn’t stop just because formal education has ended. Instead, you should develop the habit of continuous personal and professional development. This habit has been necessitated by many of life’s changes―the cost of formal education, job obsolescence, career change, lack of time to go to a regular school, and other competing interests.
With a little self-motivation, drive, and discipline, anyone can work to improve their knowledge and skill set and work towards goals and their full potential. Everyone should consider his or her ambitions. Knowledge and skills can be developed almost anywhere―reading trade journals, articles, or books for a short time each day, for example, can greatly expand your knowledge with little commitment. You can listen to audio books on your commute. You can take an online course or seminar, or search for opportunities through work with your manager or peers. And, there are many other ways to further your knowledge and develop skills, such as volunteering for tasks outside your area of expertise or helping to contribute on a project team. Work to align your interests with your career goals.
Continuous personal and professional development is about creating and maintaining a positive attitude toward learning. It can enhance your understanding of the world around you, make you more employable, provide more and better opportunities, and improve quality of life. Other benefits include:
- More confidence and higher self-esteem
- More adaptability to change
- Less aversion to risk
- A more satisfying personal life
- More optimism, energy, and creativity
There’s perhaps no habit that will more guarantee your success in life than the habit of continuous personal and professional improvement. If you’re not doing it now, then there’s no better time to begin, than now.
