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Our lives are ever-changing. New technology is constantly being updated, skills that were valuable for us only a few years ago might no longer be relevant, and the speed at which this change occurs is increasing with each passing year.
Continuous learning is the best way to stay ahead of the curve. By continuously learning, you can develop your skills and grow in your career.
According to research, 54% of employees believe that continued training and new skills are essential to keep up with workplace changes.
Too often, companies fail to implement the training necessary to help their employees succeed.
Constant learners, however, take it upon themselves to learn new skills and stay relevant by doing so.
In this blog post I will cover everything you need to know about the importance of continual learning, how it can benefit your life, and what steps you can take to practice it with purpose.
What Is Continuous Learning?
Continuous learning is the continuous desire to keep learning, developing new skills and techniques, and refining your existing ones.
It is a pathway to not only developing the skills necessary to excel in your career, but also to grow and be a better person.
Unlike traditional schooling or on-the-job training, continually learning is something you take on yourself to grow and learn new skills.
You should never feel like you’re constantly learning without interruption.
Continually learning is about being willing to take opportunities to improve your skills and abilities over the course of your life. It is a lifelong learning journey.
The Benefits Of Continuous Learning
There are no limits to the ways in which one can benefit from continually learning.
I owe much of my success to this practice, as I believe that my desire to grow and learn as much as possible played a major role in getting me where I am today.
Here are some of the ways in which you can benefit from being a continual learner:
1. Improve your skills
The first and most important benefit of continuous learning is that it can help you learn new skills. 80% of people agree that learning new skills would make them more engaged, but only 56% of people actually go out and learn new skills.
When you make a habit of learning new things, you open up a world of opportunities. Even something as simple as taking an online course in programming can take your career to the next level. Get aware of how to learn new skills.
2. Be confident at what you do
When you don't have the skills to do your job well, your mental health suffers just as much as your work does.
40% of workers with poor training decide to leave their companies within the first year.
This shows the importance of continual learning in building our confidence at work.
When you know you have the skills to do what’s demanded of you, you find out just how much a sense of confidence can help you achieve.
3. Keep up with current innovations
You may be perfectly qualified for a job when first hired, but if you’re not a continual learner, you’ll soon fall behind.
Technology changes rapidly, which affects almost every industry in the world.
As the world changes, so do the needs of business.
Accountants are switching from paper filing to digital, programmers have to learn new coding systems, and the real estate market is constantly shifting.
Continuous learning allows you to stay on top of new developments, learning new skills when necessary and adapting seamlessly.
4. Get ahead in your career
People who take the initiative and go above and beyond in their work are rewarded.
If you take the reins of your own training, your superiors will notice your effort and reward you for it.
Taking an extra online class or two might make you eligible for a promotion or provide you with an extra bargaining chip for a raise.
If you stay stagnant and don’t try to learn, however, don’t be surprised when you’re still working the same job after 15 years.
To get something different, you have to do something different. Continuous learning is the key to getting you where you want to go in your career.
5. Become a more well-rounded person
Continually learning is not limited to your career. Continuous learners embrace growth in every area of their life, making them more well-rounded people.
Pursuing personal development goals will make you a more likable person and improve your social and professional relationships.
By practicing mindfulness, you can become more emotionally adept.
Learning to play a new instrument can also help you become more cultured and enrich your life through new hobbies.
How To Practice Continuous Learning With Purpose
If you want to become a continuous learner, you’ll have to make a concerted effort to practice it with purpose. Here are a few ways you can create a culture of continuous learning:
1. Maintain a growth mindset
The goal of continually learning is to create a habit of growth, so that you can keep growing throughout your life.
The more you embrace growth as a way of life, the easier it will be to welcome opportunities instead of turning them down.
If you cultivate a mindset of constant growth, you’ll be amazed at the opportunities that present themselves.
For example, you may notice a poster advertising a dance class or start researching online courses to find one that seems interesting.
When you choose to remain open to growth, continuous learning becomes a way of life.
2. Set goals for yourself
It’s difficult to be a continual learner if your desires are vague. Sure, you may have a desire to learn Italian, but what exactly does that look like?
Do you want to be fluent by a certain date? Take a certain number of classes in a year? Prepare for a upcoming trip to Italy?
If you set concrete goals for yourself, these goals can provide the necessary motivation to keep showing up for the learning process.
3. Get feedback from experienced personnel
Growth is impossible without feedback. Without feedback from people who know what they’re talking about, you risk standing still.
Seek out feedback wherever you can in order to identify opportunities for growth.
Ask your boss at work to identify areas in which you could improve and then check in with him or her regularly to see how you're growing.
Find people who have the skills you want and ask them what they did to obtain them.
Feedback will give you an objective gauge of where you are in the learning process, so that you can accurately measure your progress.
4. Join groups to find other learners
Learning is a lot more fun when you are doing it with other people.
A great way to motivate yourself to learn new things is to join groups of people who share your common interests.
By taking online courses you can find new opportunities, advice and camaraderie in a new environment.
Online platforms can be particularly helpful by putting you in touch with other people taking the same online courses as you.
5. Check your progress
To keep up your motivation to keep learning, take a look at how far you've come.
Check in with yourself regularly to see the ways in which you've grown. What new skills have you gained?
What courses have you completed? What changes have you seen in your life since you started?
Writing these things down can help you see just how beneficial continuous learning has been in your life.
6. Put your skills to use
Never let a new skill go to waste. Put it to use in whatever way you can, even if it’s just a little bit, to keep yourself sharp.
If you’ve learned to play the piano, incorporate it into your life by booking a concert series with friends.
If you’re learning a new language, plan a trip to another country to practice speaking with the locals.
This will cultivate inspiration and drive in you to continue developing your skills and finding new skills to pursue.
Why Adopt Continuous Learning In Your Life?
If you want to continuously learn, online platforms can help you do so. If you're interested in adopting continuous learning, then career building destinations like Audo can connect you with helpful courses that teach you valuable new skills.
One of my goals with Audo is to provide a space for people to discover new skills, gain knowledge and experience life-changing moments.
With Audo, you’ll get specific course recommendations based on your own unique interests and skills.
You’ll start seeing the benefits of continuous learning right away as you join the marketplace, where you can put those skills to use.
If you consider yourself not missing an opportunity of learning, get tips for online learning to make the process more valuable.
Continual learning requires a growth mindset, an unwavering thirst for knowledge and a dedication to change.
If you embrace continual learning, you push yourself to a higher level of potential than you ever realized possible.
I encourage you to follow these tips and become a lifelong learner. It may take some work, but the results will be well worth it.
