For quite some time people tough about education as something that starts when you enroll in school and stops when you find employment. In some other times, this was probably possible. These days, however, when the world around us evolving at a rapid pace and formal education is no longer able to allow us to thrive personally and professionally in the long run.
That’s a good opportunity to remind ourselves of the words of one of the greatest minds of all time, Albert Einstein – Wisdom is not a product of schooling but the lifelong attempt to acquire it.
So, let’s see what this extraordinary scientist thought by it and why pursuing a long and successful career dictates you make continuous learning one of your greatest priorities.
Adaptability to new market circumstances
The business world was always closely tied to the development of contemporary tech. These days, however, the tech evolution occurs at a relentless pace, and the skills and knowledge we acquired both in school and at the workplace can become obsolete over the course of the night. Keeping that in mind, we would like to point out the recent Human Capital Trends Report that claims that as much as 72% of surveyed executives stated they see the employees’ ability to learn and adapt as the key priority for future disruptions. Using every chance to expand your knowledge and skillset only helps this process.
Boosting workplace productivity
While we are going to the numbers, we would also like to refer to the recent UK research reporting that 74% of British workers feel they are not living up to the full potential while 77% seeks more opportunity to develop. However, these chances for development don’t have to be found exclusively at the workplace. Enrolling in various optional courses, and doing your best to constantly acquire this knowledge even if you are not getting it at the job allows you to attain higher workplace performance, gain confidence and become more engaged in the job. All these things are very important for the evolution of your career.
Getting access to official certification
This is one of the greatest perks of continuous learning. Undergoing various seminars, exercises, and courses stacks up the number of official certificates you can put in your biography. Unlike vague claims about your previous work experience, these credentials provide tangible proof of your knowledge and skills and some of them almost certainly open the doors to well-paid employment. For instance, the IT sector is constantly exposed to new trends and innovations. Acquiring a formal ITIL certification will make the job hunting in this prospective industry. The same rules apply to other fast-evolving sectors.
Changing your professional perspective
Relying on the same old practices over and over again can impede your ability to approach new issues with an open mind and creative attitude. Here lies yet another advantage of lifelong learning. By constantly upgrading your skill set you are constantly shifting and expanding your professional perspective. That helps you not only to deal with the challenges at work in new, out-of-the-box ways, but also helps you become better in effective decision-making, and improves your knowledge about the business world as a whole. This always fresh outlook will make dealing with any kind of professional problem much easier.
Building foundations for becoming a relevant leader
Making career progress usually entails some sort of climbing up the corporate ladder and taking the role of a leader. Being good in this new position will be very hard if you are not relevant and able to keep up with the constant influx of new employees armed with fresh knowledge and skillsets. But, even if we put this aside keeping your skills fresh and undergoing regular classes will also help you develop various soft skills like the ability to explain complex ideas in simple terms, various tutoring techniques, and others. All these things will help you to grow into the role of a good and effective leader.
Improving your brain function
Last but not least, we would like to mention probably the greatest benefits on this list and that is the ability to preserve the brain function and keep your mind in shape. Our brains work similarly to muscles – providing them with proper food and regular exercise will make them sharper and help them last longer. Acquiring new skills also has a very positive impact on creativity, analytical thinking, putting abstract content into tangible context, and countless other cognitive functions that are not only capable of boosting your career and professional perspective but also improving the quality of your life.
We hope these few examples made a compelling case why adopting the habit of constant learning is one of the best things you can do for your career. Even if we put aside the fact that the business world is evolving at a rapid pace, staying stuck in one way of thinking and one, worn-out set of skills will quickly hurt your ability to work productively and even make effective decisions. The only way to deal with this problem is to always remain on top and never stop acquiring new knowledge and skills.