Transmission Wire

To Keep on Earning, Keep on Learning By Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed.

Success in the modern world takes more than just information and
knowledge. You must apply what you know to real life situations
and you must be open to learning, un-learning, and re-learning.
With the rapid advancement of technology, fluctuating economy
and societal and corporate changes, you must adopt a learning
mindset in order to succeed. Indeed, the key to lifelong earning
is lifelong learning.

As you embark on this lifelong learning path, strive to always
be a student. Open yourself to new ideas, information, concepts
and be adaptable—there are essential for the new world of
work. Some benefits of becoming a lifelong learner are:
increased self confidence when approaching new tasks or ideas
persistence in pursuing goals better decision-making and problem
solving skills the ability to be a career strategist improved
time management and organizational skills the ability to change
with the times greater personal satisfaction higher pay and
employment opportunities.

To become a student of life, start by finding out how you learn
best. There are three ways people learn: auditory (hearing),
visual (seeing), and kinesthetic (doing). If you are not sure
which type you are, ask yourself, “How do I like to be given
directions?” If you are an auditory learner, you prefer to be
told how to get there. If you are a visual learner, you prefer
to be shown how to get there. If you are a kinesthetic learner,
you prefer to actually drive there yourself.

Another important aspect to learning is whether you are left or
right-brained dominant. Left-brain dominant people are good with
logic, analysis, math, language, and writing. Right-brain
dominant people are good with imagination, colors, graphics,
music and rhythm. Of course we have the capacity for both; and
when we are able to tap into both sides of the brain, we are
using our brain’s full potential.

Many famous people used their whole brain. For example, Leonardo
Da Vinci was an artist and innovator. He sketched helicopters
hundreds of years ago because he was fascinated by mechanics. He
also used his knowledge of how the human body stands and moves
to create extraordinary, lifelike paintings.

Strive to use your whole brain when studying, working and
interacting with others. Also, be selective with what you feed
your brain. As the computer saying goes, “garbage in, garbage
out.” The same holds true for what programs your brain is using.
Therefore, only input positive, healthy and educational
programs. Keep in mind that your thoughts, along with your
ability to add, change, and discard them, is what essentially
makes up your mind.

An ancient Chinese proverb says it best, “To gain knowledge, add
things every day. To gain wisdom, remove things every day.” Just
like a computer needs to delete files and information that are
no longer useful, you have to discard information that no longer
serves you. Knowing what is important to know, as well as what
needs to go, will ensure that you have plenty of space left for
learning the next new thing.