Look at any entrepreneur and chances are, they’ll have a self-development book (or a bookmark in their web browser). The most innovative people invest in lifelong learning. The cool thing is, you can never consume ‘too much’ knowledge or get to a point where you don’t need to learn anymore.
It’s never too late to learn. In fact, new knowledge builds on existing information in the brain, so the more you know the better you’ll embrace new information in the future.
The benefits of investing in yourself goes beyond just adding new skills and knowledge to your repertoire. Personal development helps you to be proactive, rather than wait for good things to come your way.
Self-awareness, for example, is one huge advantage of investing in yourself. It’s about designing your life based on who you are. And to know yourself, you need to try things – then chase what feels right to you.
Decision-making becomes a lot easier, in both business and life. You know your strengths and weaknesses, what you should and shouldn’t be doing.
Sure, there will be stages where your main focus is growth and learning new things, and other times where you’re putting that knowledge into practice. But, you should never hang up your ‘student’ title.
As your situation changes and the years go on, you’ll naturally desire different things. This might lead to an entirely new career path or business. We know now that we’ll have various jobs in our lives, so the more resilient you are to change, the better.
On your quest for ongoing development, be in tune with yourself. Think about the areas of your job that you struggle with or want to improve. Set a benchmark for yourself and go chase it.
If you lead a team, carve out time for their own self-development. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks that, of course, need to get done. But it’s a good idea to set aside a few hours each week that’s designated for their growth. In the long run, this will help improve your business because your team’s knowledge and skills will grow.
Organise an accountability meeting each week and assign buddies to help everyone achieve their goals.
And, don’t forget to do the same thing for yourself, too.