Never, Ever Stop Learning; The Key to Personal Improvement

For most Americans, the thought of learning evokes memories of never-ending lessons, arduous exams, and the occasional blissful nap in the back of a classroom. While we’re in school, we pine for our first taste of freedom in the mystifying “real world.” Once we receive our elusive diploma, we sprint away from learning and vow never to return. This is a tragedy, because learning is foundational. Actively attempting to learn new things makes us better employees and people; here are three reasons that we should always strive to learn.

Find your passion.

The word “learning” has strictly academic connotations, but this doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, knowledge is most readily understood and retained when the information is about something that engages the learner. In this sense, learning about various topics-from gardening, to photography, to baking- makes us more well-rounded people, and may allow us to find a hobby that we love.

Meet yourself for the first time.

The more we learn about the world, the more we learn about ourselves. If we continuously expose ourselves to unfamiliar situations, we gain a deeper understanding of our personal thought processes and learning styles. We’re able to determine when we feel the most joy, and how to place ourselves in situations where we’ll feel the most fulfillment. If we fail to learn and discover who we truly are, we’re leaving potential happiness and personal growth on the table.

Expand your workplace horizons.

Aside from personal growth, learning can tangibly benefit our working lives. Acquiring a new skill or growing our general knowledge base increases our flexibility and increases the breadth of tasks that we’re able to complete. Whether it’s becoming a Microsoft Word expert or a customer service all-star, new skills complete us as employees and directly translate to greater success in the workplace.

Learning is essential to our personal and professional growth. If we avoid learning and remain content with where we are in life, we’re missing out. Find a hobby, discover yourself, improve your work performance, and (re)discover a passion for learning!