Keeping Yourself on the Path of Professional Self Improvement

One of the hardest things for most adults to do, is to keep themselves on a perpetual curve of learning new skills. Child learning experts report that you learn more and faster as a child than you do as an adult. When you are a child, it is easy to learn because the whole world is so new, and you want to learn everything. But, something happens between childhood and adulthood, and you begin to resist learning new things. It is as if you get into a comfort zone, where you are satisfied with what you know, and resist learning any new information.

However, in today’s society, it is absolutely necessary that you continue to learn. You must maintain and increase your value in the workplace. By learning people skills and technical skills, you keep yourself well balanced. On one hand, you have the technical side of your business skills and you need to stay current with new knowledge that is applied in the workplace. On the other hand, your people skills are a must, to keep developing. Dealing with people properly, often times, is the difference between getting promoted or getting demoted.

Here is an exercise to keep you reminded of the importance of keeping yourself on a learning curve, and to take some action on a daily basis. Take a 3x5 card and write on it your commitment to learn one new thing each day. It could be something technical or something related to people skills or some other aspect of your job. When you are finished, sign your name at the bottom of the card. The next step is to crumple the card up into a little ball and place the ball in your pocket or purse. What this will do is serve to remind you each time you feel that lump in your pocket, or see it in your purse, to take some action toward your goal of learning something new that day.

The action you take to learn something, could be in the form of an online class, or a book you are reading. It might take the form of a study group or an after work class. It might be asking a mentor for some advice. Regardless of what form you choose, make it a point to follow through and complete one type of learning each day.

Remember, you are creating a contract with yourself to learn, because you know it will help you in the development of your professional career. This crumpled up 3x5 card can serve as a source of motivation to keep yourself on a learning curve for the rest of your life.

Tom Borg is president of Tom Borg Consulting, LLC. He is a business consultant, speaker, coach and author. He helps companies and organization become more profitable by increasing their value and lowering their costs through the professional development of their managers and employees. Please see more of his blogs at ConstructionJobForceblog.com and view additional job postings at Nexxt