A Lifelong Pursuit

“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest."
Benjamin Franklin

Now that I’ve spent the last four weeks on goals, there is something on my mind I feel is extremely important that should be a life long goal or pursuit for each of us. That is continuously learning. Whether we are a full-time father working long and hard hours or a stay at home mother tending to the needs of a full house, I believe it is crucial we take time to be continuously learning everyday, and let me tell you why.

First, gaining knowledge is exciting and fun. When we learn knew things, we are blessed in so many ways. Learning new things builds our confidence, boosts our self-esteem, enhances our relationships and our understanding and compassion for others, challenges us, motivates us, and pushes us to reach our potential. I’ve experienced in life as I continuously seek to learn good things, my happiness in life grows. Thus, for me, the most important benefit of continuously learning is it enhances and enriches my life. For this reason alone, I am committed to learning each day.

A second benefit of learning is gaining knowledge that prepares you for the unknown. Life is full of uncertainties and unknowns. With the economy screeching to a halt and unemployment rising, we never know when we might be next without a job. Likewise, we never know when we might be able to help others in need, because of the knowledge we have gained. By always learning, we can open doors and windows of opportunity that perhaps would not have come our way. Learning enhances our skills, and it helps us to add value to others. As we continuously learn, we continuously prepare for the uncertainties in life.

One last benefit is learning helps us be more successful and better leaders. As mentioned above, as we learn, we gain confidence and knowledge. This confidence and knowledge helps us to lead others by boosting their confidence in us. Things in our world today change quickly; if we are not continuously learning, then we won’t be able keep up and earn the respect of others. Always learning helps us to stay on top of important changes and discoveries in our world. The more we learn, the better we can lead and the more success we will have in life.

So how do we find time to always be learning in our overly busy lives? By making it a priority! If this is difficult, set goals and track your progress, surround yourself with others who will encourage and challenge you to learn, and find things to learn that interest you. The benefits of always learning are abundant and something each of us should take advantage of. As we make a commitment to continuous learning, our lives will be enriched and our ability to serve others will grow. Let’s make learning a lifelong pursuit!