subject: Are You Investing in Yourself? [print this page] Are You Investing in Yourself? Are You Investing in Yourself?
Copyright (c) 2011 Soaring Eagle Companies LLCIf you have ever worked in an office or business environment for any length of time, you know that there are almost always certain types of people. One type in particular is the entitled.These are the people that make no attempt to further their training or development. They don't take any classes, they don't learn new skills (unless they are forced to by some change in the system), and yet they are the first in line to think they deserve a promotion or a significant pay raise. Why? Because they have been there the longest, they think they are entitled.The same can be true even when you are working for yourself. Your success is tied to your ability to continually learn and progress. If you haven't done anything to further your knowledge and/or your training, how do you expect to continue to be successful?It is easy to become complacent, particularly if you have already spent a great deal of your life in school. You may think that you have done your part for education. But, as we all know, things change. If you let yourself stay out of the loop too long, your knowledge will become dated and so will your business.By continuing to learn, you also give yourself opportunities to grow your business along with growing your knowledge. There are always new techniques, new ideas, and new systems that might work for your business. If you don't know about them, you can't use them to grow your business.If you have other people in business with you, you have even more of an obligation to always be learning new ideas and systems that you can pass on to them. You also have an obligation to encourage them to continue to learn as well and to set a good example.Learning can come in many forms. There are always books, seminars, classes, and training. Continuing education does not have to be expensive or time consuming. Many programs are offered online for little or no cost. Books, seminars, and classes are often recorded and available any time of the day or night so you can learn on your schedule.Networking is another great way to learn. Talking with other people that are in a business similar to yours is a great way to find out what's new out there.Learning is a lifelong process and an investment in your most important assetyourself!The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, like our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live. Mortimer Adler
