4 Reasons Why You Need to Become a Life-Long Learner

This world is incredible! A person could spend a lifetime trying to learn everything and never be able to scratch the surface. Yet, their life is still fulfilled in a great many of ways. Even though the power of learning is vastly underrated, knowledge is a treasure! It gives us insight, perspective, opportunity and happiness.

Why do we go to college or trade schools? For opportunity. Why do we learn music, art, dance or sports? For Happiness. Why do we go through trials? For personal growth. Why do we read parenting books, learn to cook, learn about mental health and overall health? For Self-Improvement.

Growing our skill set allows us to feel not only accomplished but also confident. It prepares us for the foreseeable future and the unforeseeable. It helps us to discover hidden talents and abilities we didn’t know were there before.

Here are my four reasons we need to become a life-long learner!

Opportunity

Learning a new skill that is anywhere on the scale from practical to more creative is of great importance.

Each of these can open doors to new opportunities. As I have witnessed in my many job interviews, employers like having an employee who not only fits the job description (and has experience) but is also versatile in many areas.

They admire an employee who is always striving to learn. This quality stands out! Someone with a wide variety of skills could add more to the position than someone who just merely fits the description.

And have you ever noticed that after gaining a new skill, suddenly more doors open? For instance, if you got a mig/tig welding certificate or an online teaching certificate, you would have more options as far as work industry. Or if you learned Spanish, you may have an advantage over other applicants.

And sometimes it’s the skills you learn for fun (photography, writing, etc.) that present you with opportunities that you didn't know existed. For instance, the entertainment and freelance business has grown immensely since the age of social media platforms began. Someone who is versed in photography, acting, makeup, etc. could have more opportunities than those who are not.

And other times with a versatile skill set, you make your own opportunities! For example, having the freedom to be your own boss has been a goal that many strive for. In order to achieve this, you would have to learn a variety of skills such as a knowledge of business, creativity, organization, time management and become well-versed in a trade.

Self-Improvement

The internet has been shown to be a fantastic tool for learning. YouTube tutorials, academic websites, educational/tutoring sites like Khan Academy and more! We have the greatest information resource at our fingertips!

Want to learn how to change a tire? YouTube it! Want to learn a different language? There is an app for that! Want to learn how to eat more mindfully and get the best exercise tips? There are blogs dedicated to just that by experts in the field!

We are incredibly fortunate to live in a time where information is so accessible and fast. This is the greatest era for self-improvement. And I truly believe that self-improvement is the key to living a successful and happy life.

The idea of success is different to everyone, but to me it means that you are living in a way that will bring you the most happiness and healthiness. For me, that is being married to my wonderful husband, building a family, having the career type I want, practicing my religion and having fun adventures.

For others, success might mean a 6 figure income, traveling the world or just being a charitable human being. Therefore, in order for us to reach these goals, we need to be mindful in how we improve ourselves.

For someone who’s idea of success is defined by family, they would need to learn how to cook, care for children, understand healthy marital relationships, budget, take care of a home, be prepared for emergencies and find a job that covers a family financially and is somewhat enjoyable.

On top of this, there is self-improvement that is not specifically goal-oriented. For instance, someone could take self-defense classes, auto care classes or even yoga classes to improve their confidence and peace of mind. And this is important too!

In all respects, self improvement is a life-long goal in of itself! It is a beautiful continuous transformation and is a an absolute pleasure to behold.

Think about the person you want to be and take the steps necessary to become that person.

Personal Growth

Without a doubt this is the hardest learning curve there is! And I think most people find it bitter-sweet. Have you ever noticed in movies how the character development either makes or breaks the story? The character usually goes through a difficult trial and are shaped by how they handle their situation.

In a movie with a gripping plot, the character often becomes a greater version of themselves through trial and triumph. And it is powerful!

Let me give you a great example of this!

---SPOILER ALERT! Skip to the next section if you are currently watching Once Upon a Time or may start watching it in the near future---

My favorite character arc is that of Regina Mills/The Evil Queen from Once Upon a Time.

At the beginning, I didn’t like Regina because she made everyone’s life miserable! Despite this, when the show revealed how she became the Evil Queen (Snow White accidentally got her fiancé killed) it made me sympathize with her. However, I still didn’t like her because after all, she was the Evil Queen.

Through cursing all the fairy tale characters to Storybrooke, where they forgot all their memories and were ripped away from their loved ones, she had finally gotten her revenge. And yet, despite this, she still felt empty. She cursed Snow White to be alone forever. She got everything she wanted but was still unhappy, miserable even!

She quickly realized that the emptiness was due to the vacancy in her heart; having no one to love. At the time, romantic love was not in her sights, instead she was desiring motherly love.

She adopted her son, Henry (also the grandson of Snow White, which she didn’t know at the time. No one aged at all since being cursed. It’s a long story) and her heart became filled with love again. It was Henry directly that made her see the error of her ways and was the catalyst for her character development.

It was he who showed her that love was not weakness but strength. It was he who showed her that redemption was possible. And it was he who helped her to become friends with Snow White, Prince Charming and Emma (Snow White's daughter and Henry’s birth mother. Again it’s a long story).

Not only did Regina sacrifice a great deal to make everything right, but she also put her own life on the line several times to save those she had once hated. And in the end she was rightfully crowned the Good Queen by the same people she had cursed. I quickly loved Regina and rooted for her as she fiercely fought the darkness inside of her, as many other fans did!

I gave this extreme example because trials can be immensely difficult. Trials can makes us or break us. They can shape us to be the best versions of ourselves or the worst, if we let them. It doesn’t mean that we don’t mourn or be discouraged. It just means that there is always hope and we can rise above our challenges. Being a life-long learner in this instance means to take away something from each trial and to grow from it.

Happiness

I love the way that hobbies make people so happy! I love the way that it inspires them and drives them. I love the way children get excited when they get to learn a new sport, dance, instrument or game. I really do believe that learning is an essential part of happiness.

Personally, I always take up new hobbies because I love to learn more about myself and my capabilities. I love the feeling of relief when I play music, write or do archery. It brings me so much peace!

I believe that hobbies can be a therapeutic source for our trials and an inspiration for our dreams. It always amazes me when someone can turn their hobby into their career or use it to power themselves through something difficult.

Think about those moments where you were out doing what you love. Was it playing music? Was it playing sports? Was it art? Was it dirt bike riding? Think about it... Remember the peace. Remember the joy! Now, imagine if you didn't have it... How would your life be different?

I have no doubt that hobbies are vital to our overall well-being and happiness!

Conclusion

Becoming a life-long learner is more than important, it is essential! We often view learning as a chore when it should be viewed as a great privilege. We need to value it as we value our entertainment. As my father has said, “our world is more colorful and beautiful when we are constantly striving to learn and grow.” My friends, pick up your piano books, take that Spanish class, and watch those tutorial videos. It can only help you!