Why You Should Never Stop Learning A quick guide that proves why we're never too old or experienced to pick up new business tricks.
By Timothy Sykes •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
There are many ways to find success as an entrepreneur, but no matter what path you take, it's vital to always keep learning. To stay relevant, hungry and motivated, it's important to make a lifelong commitment to education and growth.
This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to go back to grad school or pursue a formal education, but it does mean that you need to continue learning from others, via various forms of media and the world around you, and below are some of the primary reasons why.
1. To keep generating new ideas
What might inspire your next big idea? Hard to say, but it probably won't be sitting around watching TV or playing video games. If you really want to invite inspiration to strike, make a commitment to learning something new every single day by reading books, following podcasts, staying updated with the news or pursuing any number of resources that can expose you to new ideas and concepts. As time goes on, you'll begin amassing a mental library of information that will help your brain make connections and keep generating innovation. Learning is the fuel for this fire!
Related: Why you should strive to be a lifelong learner.
2. To maintain your passion
Everyone has times when their work feels like a chore, no matter how much they love their job, but learning is the key to keeping passion alive over the long run. Reigniting that passion will only ensure your career remains stimulating. So go ahead, become obsessed with your industry. Read books by relevant leaders, follow podcasts in your field and follow movers and shakers on social media. You'll become inspired by the cool things going on within it and tap into the inner passion for what you do.
3. To make better conversation
Do you want to be interesting? If so, be interested. Not just in people who you talk to, but in different ideas and topics. The more you learn, the more things you'll be able to talk about with other people. But it's not just about improving your chitchat. When you have a wider field of interests and knowledge, you're able to connect more deeply with a wider variety of peoplem, which can lead to opportunities and collaborations that can further your career.
4. To banish boredom
When you don't take the time to learn, it's easy to get lazy or bored. Who wants that? Not me. When you commit to being a lifelong learner, you may notice that one of the positive side effects is that you're able to massively reduce complacency and inertia. Fascination with a particular topic can be engaging and exciting, give you a greater sense of purpose and excitement in both your career and in your everyday life.
5. For better work-life balance
Are you feeling the burn? And by that I mean feeling burned out? Going through tough times? Yup: Learning can help with that. When you take a break from montonous working to focus on expanding your mind, it's like a break for your brain from its regularly scheduled programming. This can help you break out of bad habits like sitting in front of your computer and not actually doing anything just because you think you "should" be working. You'll ultimately to go back to work with a better perspective and a renewed sense of energy that can help you be more effective.
Related: 10 Proven Ways to Learn Faster
6. For your health
Did you know that lifelong learning can help you actually live longer? The benefits of are myriad, and more diverse than you might think. For instance? While using your brain won't necessarily prevent Alzheimer's, frequently learning new things can delay symptoms, which can improve your quality of life. (Other skills such as learning how to play an instrument can help improve memory.) So given the benefits not just for your career, but your overall well being, don't delay: Commit to learning something new every day.
