The Importance of Lifelong Learning

From a very young age, I was taught the importance of education and the impact it has on one's life. My mother is a teacher and my father is an insurance claims agent. Both of my parents went to college and my mother completed her master's degree early in her career. Growing up, I was constantly reminded of how important a quality education was to my success. Not only would an education prepare me for my professional career but it was critical for me to find personal enjoyment in life. Having been raised by an educator set me on the path for a lifetime of learning. I crave knowledge in any form I can find it. My thirst for knowledge fuels my desire to learn new things I did not know previously. I can confidently say that by gathering "useless" facts throughout the years, I have become a whiz at playing along with Jeopardy. Not only are my Jeopardy skills useful at group gatherings, the ability to speak with others about any topic, at least somewhat comfortably, is crucial for success in my career. Lifelong learning can be found in a variety of places. You just have to know what to look for.

If you do not have one or more already, do yourself a favor and find a mentor. Reach out to someone that has the job you want someday or someone that you admire and wish to learn from. Ask them if they would help you and give you guidance. Mentors can give you advice on life and how to keep a work-life balance so you do not overwork yourself; to this end, I am failing because I constantly struggle with the balance. Mentors can also help you navigate the career path to reach your end goal. My mentors have been an invaluable asset to my success as a young professional. As I am writing this, I am emailing one of my mentors within my organization to grab lunch and speak about my career path. Just yesterday, I was having lunch with a Senior Vice President within my organization. We discussed some potential career opportunities and how I could showcase my skill set to reflect my ability to do those jobs well. One of my mentors told me, "If someone is willing to give you 30 minutes of their time, you take it and make the most of it." Ask questions and pay attention to their answers. Be willing to learn and I promise you that it will help you on your path to success.

Being a lifelong learner does not have to be solely centered around professional development. Do not forget to learn for fun. Learn about things that you want to learn about because you find those subjects fascinating. There are a few ways you can do this. You can take free online courses on topics you want to know more about; I find that https://www.edx.org/ is a great place to start. Pick up a book on Amazon or your local library and read on your downtime. My New Year's Resolution was to read at least one book a month (so far so good) and I have found myself less stressed and more knowledgeable because of it. Topics that I have read this so far year include Stephen Hawking's theory of black holes, a biography of John Quincy Adams, and a memoir by Phil Collins. You can also go back to college and pursue further formal education. I realize the cost is usually great, as is the time commitment, but if you have the option to do it I say why not do it? I chose to pursue my M.Ed. because I believed it would help me in my career. Now, I am back in school as an undergraduate student seeking a bachelor of arts in history and a minor in sustainability. Since I work for the university I can take advantage of the discounts afforded to me. I chose to study history because I have a passion for learning about the great achievements of the people who came before me. While it can be tedious work, I love every second I am engaged with my schoolwork because every day there is something new to learn.

Learn for the sake of learning and push yourself to know more today than you did yesterday.