Far too many people retire from learning once they finish formal school.
“Most people subscribe to the “inoculation” theory of education — “I got my degree (or diploma), and now I don’t have to learn any more.” Not only is this attitude out of step with successful living, these days it may be downright dangerous! Accelerating change in nearly every area of human endeavor is making current knowledge obsolete at a faster pace than ever before. Gone are the days of the artisan, where one could learn a craft and utilize it for a lifetime, with little or no change. In short, the only constant these days is change itself. To grow in our jobs and our family lives requires that we keep on growing and learning, long after our formal schooling is done. The more we’re able to know and the more skills we acquire, the more value we can offer to our employers, friends and families. And that places us in an upward spiral of growing income and emotional well being.” InnovationManagement.se
We must understand that the key to relevance in our chosen field is to be up to date in our knowledge base. We must be committed to personal growth which will not just happen. Learning does not just happen. It demands being deliberate about it.
“Learning is not attained by chance. It must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.” Abigail Adams
What we know now will keep us going but it won’t keep us going for too long. We must learn new ways of doing things so we can be equipped to handle the varieties of challenges that keep cropping up in life.
The importance of continual learning can never be over emphasized.
“With today’s more complex business environment, learning is not just a nice thing to do — it is essential for staying on top of things. Especially during times of recession, it is important for people to learn new skills and enhance their marketability. None of us can afford to remain stagnant in our knowledge. Organizations need to ensure that individuals keep learning. To do this, they must create a culture of self-directed learners who are excited about learning and incentivized to advance knowledge and skills.
We can no longer view learning as a one-time event where we attend a college or university, get a degree and are then “done” learning. Instead, learning should be an ongoing process. We have to keep enhancing our skills in critical thinking, creativity and innovation, analytics, people and leadership and networking, among other knowledge and skills.” Joyce E. A Russell
We can learn in different ways. We must not be casual people. We must develop the habit of critical observation and an eye for detail through study. All around us are different opportunities to learn. Everybody in life is a book of wisdom to learn from. From some we learn how to be wise and from others we learn how not to be foolish.
If our lives will count we must be a people who should aspire to learn by instruction and not by experience. It’s good to learn from experience but it’s a very expensive way to learn as it comes with regret. . . . It is learning to do something from doing it the wrong way.
We must resolve to become perpetual students if our lives will be of any meaningful and lasting benefit.
and then