If you don’t apply skills you acquire, you haven’t actually learned anything.

There’s something to be said about people that go to school for half of their lives. Crazy. Well, that’s what I call them anyway. (Just kidding, sorta.) However, I get the premise and I get the idea behind it.

They love learning. They love brain fuel. And that’s awesome!

Characteristics of Millionaires

Research shows that the average millionaire reads 1 to 2 books a month. That is what I call dedication to personal development. They care about growing not only personally, but professionally. And they have the mindset that everything is an investment whether it’s finances, mental growth or something in between.

The point is that the people we strive to be are doing things we probably aren’t. They are dedicated to growth in various ways because they have decided they won’t be stagnant in life. And it’s working.

The Past Has Taught Me Well

It’s been said “You’re nothing if you don’t have your integrity.” I don’t know who’s quote that is, but I know it’s true.

So there for awhile, in my teens, I had nothing.

But I learned from my mistakes. I really don’t understand people not learning from their mistakes, but I guess that’s what makes the world go ’round.

So I committed to something. I committed to becoming a life learner. I also committed to never set foot in a formal education program again. Don’t get me wrong, I love education, I’m just fulfilled to the brim with my four-year degree that took me six.

Commit to being a life learner. You will never regret it.

What is a Life Learner Anyway?

Well, I think that Wikipedia says it best. And this isn’t a term paper so I can quote from a wiki.

Lifelong learning is the “lifelong, voluntary, and self-motivated”^[1] pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons. As such, it not only enhances social inclusion, active citizenship and personal development, but also competitiveness and employability.^[2]

The term recognises that learning is not confined to childhood or the classroom, but takes place throughout life and in a range of situations. During the last fifty years, constant scientific and technological innovation and change has had a profound effect on learning needs and styles. Learning can no longer be divided into a place and time to acquire knowledge (school) and a place and time to apply the knowledge acquired (the workplace).^[3] Instead, learning can be seen as something that takes place on an on-going basis from our daily interactions with others and with the world around us.

Nope. Couldn’t have said that any better. I love Wikipedia.

The Important Part

We have to actually apply what we learn! Reading, writing, working out, skiing…no matter what it is, if we don’t apply the new skills we’ve discovered to help us in our journey, we haven’t learned anything.

Unfortunately, I have met several people that like to talk about what they have read or would like to do but never put a plan and action into play. They might as well have not wasted the time to acquire the knowledge because they didn’t really learn anything new anyway. If you read about how to eat better to get fit, you have to actually eat better. If you read about how to do a budget, you have to quit making excuses, do the budget and stick to it!

It’s your turn.

So be on this quest with me. Join the tribe to becoming a life learner. I plan to keep on course, give a bunch of free information and stuff away and I’d like to have you along for the ride.

Ask yourself these questions?

What is holding me back?

Why is it holding me back?

How can I overcome it?

Now go jump on my email list and let’s walk through this together!