UXL Blog

By Margaret Smith, Speaker, Career Coach, and Certified Insights Discovery Practitioner

In a recent newsletter a friend of mine posed the following question:
How often are you consciously and intentionally being a learner?

His subject prompted me to think about all of the different places in my life where I learn, and I wondered at whether or not I was learning intentionally and consciously, instead of just out of necessity.

I have always encouraged those I work with to be lifelong learners, and I strive to be one myself. Because of this, I’ve decided to revisit this amazing habit.

Why YOU Should Be a Lifelong Learner:

• Learning boosts your self-esteem
• Learning keeps your mind fresh
• Learning gives you a personal and inner source of fulfillment
• Learning can make you money because you may advance your professional skills and learn new skills
• Learning makes you more valuable at home, work, and in your community
• Learning makes you a more interesting person because you can converse with a variety of people about a variety of topics

Tips for Keeping up the Habit of Learning:

• Read books: No matter your pace of reading, keep a book with you to fill your unanticipated open time.
• Engage others interested in learning: Spending time with other learners benefits you because you share knowledge and encourage one another.
• Look for opportunities to apply your knowledge: Have you studied a second language, but haven’t used it in years? Join a conversation group or sign up for community education!
• Be more open-minded: try things that you may have previously eschewed. After all, how do you know until you’ve tried it?!
• Finally begin that project: You know the one, the project you’ve been meaning to get to for the last year that requires you to try something new and possibly develop a new skill.
• Accept feedback from others: Listen to the advice and observations of those you trust and be willing to change.

Do you have a story about your own lifelong learning? What are some habits you’ve formed to make learning a part of your life today?

Interested in learning more about listening or working one-on-one with a professional career coach to gain a competitive edge? CONTACT MARGARET TODAY to learn about career coaching and UXL’s public workshops!

Tags: How to Boost Self-Esteem, How to Make More Money, Lifelong Learning, Margaret Smith