While independent learning and personal growth through books, seminars, and networking can significantly bring you closer to your professional career goal, a college education is important for the following reasons.

The exposure to a wide variety of subjects expands your understanding of the world. As an effect, it will help you communicate with individuals from other professional fields down the road, while understanding the interrelationships their work may have on yours.

The college learning experience also includes how to perform research, write effective papers, deliver presentations, work with other individuals in group projects, and how to accept challenging and sometimes mundane activities with integrity.

Mario Vellandi from Melodies in Marketing (rss)

A lot of value from college comes from learning to persevere through difficulties. I think it is awful that some colleges are required to give tests orally for people who might get confused by reading the questions themselves. While I sympathize with people who have reading disabilities, etc. a diploma should show people that you know how to work through the things you find hard.

I get this one a lot given that I teach at a university. It’s very difficult to give a general answer, because it really does depend on what one is getting a college education for and how they go about getting it. The most valuable component of a college education is that it gives students a chance to reevaluate themselves outside of both the historical family context, which has a tendency to rely heavily on tradition, and the business context, which all too often relies solely upon the bottom line of money.

A proper college education teaches students how to live an enjoyable life rather than just preparing them to enter the workforce. College is one of the few places where ideas and perspectives are pursued for their own intrinsic value, and people who have never had the opportunity to play with ideas and perspectives this way miss a critical part of a happiness.

That’s not to say that you can’t learn to do that outside of academia, but you find people who have spent their lives doing it inside of academia and thus give the best place to truly play with ideas and perspectives. So, on the one hand, I think that almost every individual should have at least some liberal education, in the classic sense, but on the other, most people that attend college miss that, anyways.

If you’re not there for that experience, a college education is only as important as the degree to which it bears on your ability to get a job in the career you want, which means for most people it’s not that important. Practical skills can be learned far quicker outside of academia, which lags behind the rest of the world when it comes to practical skills and provides “distractions” (i.e. general education requirements and such), so if I were choosing between going to college to gain skills and learning them on my own, I would probably go the latter route. But a lot of young students entering college have no real idea what they want to do and they don’t have self-teaching skills, so it’s a good place for them to learn what they want to do.

Charlie Gilkey from Productive Flourishing (rss)

Learning specific “trade style” skills can e done a lot quicker outside of college. However, developing the the foundation to easily acquire diverse skills in the future is where college really gives people an edge. Of course it depends on how you approach your education. Some people go to college to basically learn a trade and this mindset significantly reduces the benefits they get from the experience.

A college education will mean the world if you are trying to work for other people and climb the ladder in a company. If you climb long enough, you’ll become a manager, maybe make six figures, or earn whatever carrot they are dangling in front of your nose.

On the other hand, what if you could somehow devise a way to earn even more money? If you sat down and thought really hard, could you think of something that you could sell over and over (whether a product or service) and make even more money in less time? If so, education is only worth the things you learned in school, and your degree means little or nothing. In this world, you may be the B student who hires all the A students to work for you.

Jason from World Fitness Network (rss)

Sometimes college can be a good way to quickly gain the diverse life experience necessary to understand the world.

A college education can help, but it’s not the only thing that can. In some careers, a college degree is necessary just to get in the door. However, you can and will learn much more in life than you can ever learn in school. If you can demonstrate your knowledge or life education some other way on your resume or in person, you can probably get away without it.

If you learn well in the school environment, then it’s important and valuable. What I learned in college I use all the time in my work, but I’m a writer by trade. I know plenty of people who learn by doing, and for them college was not/is not that important. College isn’t for everyone.

Anne from Writers Cabal Blog (rss)

I think some places are requiring college degrees for jobs where they shouldn’t be required, but they do this because getting a degree has become so easy that it means very little. This causes a downward spiral where employers expect degrees, so colleges try to accommodate people who normally wouldn’t have gone to college, which reduces the value of the experience, which reduces the value of the degree, etc.

I think that for many of the professions, having a college education is essential. For example, would you really want someone who has not studied civil engineering to be in charge of building bridges? Or have a doctor that didn’t have an MD? There are aspects of many professions that are not taught outside of the college experience.

I do believe that a college education, if used properly, sets the tone and gives you the skills for a life-long learning pattern. And life-long learning is essential for success.

As a side note, what I see most often in my current position is that the people fresh out of university with degrees in computer science can’t program their way out of a bucket. Once they have a few years of experience, they are usually equal to the people who have the same amount of experience, regardless of the college degree. One of the best programmers I know has a degree in science education, but his quest for new knowledge keeps him on top of the game.

LJ from simpleproductivityblog (rss)

When it comes to programmers, I’ve found that people who didn’t study computer science in college often become very valuable because they have a perspective that pure CS people don’t. For example, I found that my experiences conducting orchestras was extremely useful in working with teams of developers.

A college degree provides a base set of knowledge commonly discussed and experienced by other people with college degrees. Depending on what field you are pursuing, the ability to have a shared knowledge may or may not be important to your career. I know a number of very successful people who didn’t finish college, and some not-so-successful people with advanced degrees. It ultimately comes down to the career path you choose to take and if having a college degree will be expected and required of you in that field.

Erin Doland from Unclutterer (rss)

Beyond your career, college can give you the experience and education that will let you enjoy life.

The importance of a college education depends on your field. My Harvard degree has real cachet with some of the high-achieving high schoolers and families I work with. Meanwhile, though, many of my most successful friends in tech have no college degree. While others were in school developing a resume, these guys were developing useful skills.

Eva Holtz from College Admissions Secrets (rss)

The downside of focusing on developing useful skills is that those skills may not always be in high demand. Changes in technology can wipe out entire industries and render skills useless. There isn’t a high demand for Morse code operators anymore–no matter how good you are at it. However, being able to write clearly, understand statistics, etc. can help you in almost any job.

It’s only important to the extent that it matters to you personally and that it matters to doing the work you love doing.

Education is always important, but for any particular person, college may not be what they really need. There are many ways to become educated.

Ariane Benefit from Neat & Simple Living (rss)

I do think we try to force too many people into college. Part of the problem comes from making it too easy for people get into college. As the standard for what it takes to get a college degree decline, employers standards go up. In some situations someone with a college degree today may have skills only equivalent to what a high school graduate would have had 50 years ago.

College is a great learning experience, but like most experiences-it’s what you make it. I finished college in roughly five semesters and didn’t miss a beat.

I didn’t rely on college solely to “educate” me. I sought out opportunities to learn and grow.

The best thing about college is the professors! I created life long relationships with many of them. They are truly fountains of great information-and worth the tuition.

Shama Hyder from After The Launch (rss)

I think this is where a lot of students miss out. You have to take responsibility for your own education. College is part of that, but just because you are getting an A in a class doesn’t mean you are reaching your full potential in that area. You have to know what you are trying to achieve and see college as one of our many educational tools.

College is important, but it isn’t a determining factor to be successful in life. I believe that a good work ethic, a willingness to learn, and honesty will take you a long way. Having said that, I am currently attending college 20 years after graduating high school.

Rolando J from macNwin (rss)

While college doesn’t make you successful, it can often give you a wide range of experience that would be difficult to obtain in other ways. The interactions with people from different backgrounds and cultures can be out of reach for many people outside of a college environment.

Over here in Australia we call it university, and it can be terribly useful. It depends on many factors. Can you teach yourself better than others can teach you? Can you access resources essential to grasping the subject without studying a degree? I left my Bachelor of Journalism to study a Bachelor of Popular Music and I can tell you that the information you get there isn’t readily available on a Google search or in a library, especially when it comes to studio engineering and production techniques.

http://www.joelfalconer.com from Joel Falconer (rss)

I think sometimes having a college degree can help employers be more willing to invest in training you–particularly on thing that will take a long time to develop.

Note: in Canada there’s a difference between “college” and “university”. University tends to be a four-year degree, e.g., Bachelor of Commerce. You can get college degrees in a couple of years, and they tend to be more practical, e.g., vet assistant, some nursing, IT support, etc.

I’m referring here to “university” education…

It all depends on what you want to do with your life. I always knew I was going to get a university degree – my parents decreed it. But I was the first (and basically, only) person on both sides of my family to get a university degree. I’ve since gone back and am working on my PhD, but I’ve accepted the fact that I might be overeducating myself.

Personally, I’ve got no problem with people not going to school after high school. But you have to do something smart with your life. If I had kids who didn’t achieve high marks, and had no interest in being lawyers, doctors, whatever, I would recommend a trade. For example, my spouse is an airplane mechanic – I think that is the coolest job and nothing to sneeze at, even if no degree was required. Plus, we’re getting into a shortage of tradespeople, like plumbers, electricians. The pay is good, the hours acceptable, and it’s relatively easy to be your own boss if you have the entrepreneurial spirit.

GTD Wannabe from GTD Wannabe (rss)

I don’t know that it is possible to be over-educated. In my experience, the more I know the more people are wiling to pay for increasingly smaller portions of my time.

I think there are two important benefits (as far as business educations are concerned):

It teaches a ‘way of thinking’
Although a lot of business is simply common sense, education provides you with a way of thinking that’s aligned with businesses out there in reality.

It provides an entry ticket
The entry ticket is needed to get in. To stay in you have to prove yourself, by showing quality and profitability.

I’m educated in business, so that’s my take. I can imagine that it differs if you study Italian or Art.

Lodewijk van den Broek from How to be an Original (rss)

I think many times a degree just shows you have the vocabulary to talk about a particular area. What you do after college will determine if you become any good at that area. But knowing the “language” is a great starting point.

If you‘re young, and unfocused (don’t know what you want to do with your life) get a college education in SOMETHING. I was told many years ago how precocious I was, so smart and charming. So I put off school because I was so excited to get my “adult” life started.Those smarts and charm lasted only for so many years but I had accomplished so much by the time I was 30. But I was warned that my peers would catch up to me by then, and in my mid-30s, they’d be making more money and have better jobs than I had.I think some of that has become true to a certain extent. So no matter how smart or charming you think you are, get a degree in something. So you increase your opportunities later in life.

John Trosko from OrganizingLA Blog (rss)

I have seen people work through exactly what you are describing and they can eventually come out ahead of their peers. But the same amount of effort with a college degree might have let them leap frog their peers through their mid 30s.

For me my Personal MBA has been invaluable. It consists of listening to over 60 business oriented Audio Books that cover the equivalent of a standard MBA program. You don’t get the diploma, but you learn an incredible amount. And it costs less than a thousand dollars!

You can find out more at http://personalmba.com and http://mbaontherun.com

John Richardson from Success Begins Today (rss)

Interesting. This comes down to making sure you keep working on your education outside of college. You can get a great deal of content from college classes for free.

Tremendously important! (I’m an English professor, so you know I’m going to say that.) I will add though that there’s a tremendous difference between getting an education and getting a degree.

The real point of college is the practice it offers in developing the ability to think and feel deeply and learn about the world and one’s possible place in it. Not to learn how to make a living, but to learn how to make a life, as I remember an old professor saying at my freshman orientation, back in the 20th century.

Michael Leddy from Orange Crate Art (rss)

We often overlook that a proper education can help you enjoy life in ways not possible otherwise–even outside of the career benefits.

Filed Under Development · 10 Comments

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Personal Productivity from Management Theory – Maslow

May 4, 2009

Getting the Most Out of Magazines

April 30, 2009

Personal Productivity from Management Theory

April 28, 2009

Global Perspective

April 23, 2009

Setting Goals

April 21, 2009

Why You Need to Fail to Succeed

April 6, 2009

Personal Development: Reading Habits

March 15, 2009

I come across a website through some means or another, and if I like it, it goes in my feed reader. If it hasn’t got a feed, I’ll probably never come back.

But the bulk of my reading is books, and my choices are usually informed by recommendations from friends or because I liked the blurb on the back of the book. I just finished reading Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett and have gone back to read his The Light Fantastic, which I skipped along the way. Anyone looking for reading material should not complain until they have consumed every Discworld book out there.

http://www.joelfalconer.com from Joel Falconer (rss)

With the web, it is easy to overlook the value of printed books.

I am a “printed word” junkie so I ready everything from professional literature to cereal boxes and billboards. The public library is a great source for audio books which I use for traveling or exercising.

When I find a reference to a book I would like to read, I add it to my personal Wish List on www.amazon.com. This tool enables me to keep track of books I would like to purchase or receive as gifts.

As a Professional Organizer I work with clients who have accumulated stacks of magazines. Since they will not live to read every one of them, we devise a system that works with their storage space and ability to speed read.

Ellen Hankes from Organization, Productivity and Life (rss)

I tend to have a lot of magazines accumulating. I try to go through and tear out any important articles to read later and throw the rest out. Speed reading is an interesting suggestion. I had some speed reading courses in high school. My barrier tends to be my ability to comprehend–not just how fast I can move my eyes across the page.

Finding Effective Self-Help Books

With over 30,000 self-help books currently in print and titles available that address every conceivable type of problem, happening upon a book that speaks to your unique situation and personality can be challenging, to say the least. Because everybody is unique, there are different styles and approaches that will resonate more strongly with your needs.

However, by steering clear of unrealistic, unscrupulous, or otherwise unhelpful self-help books, you’ll stand a much better chance of success. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind the next time you’re in the market for a new self-help volume.

•    Beware of fly-by-night gurus. Does the author have credibility as an expert in the field? Check the book-flap bio and do a little investigative Googling to make sure that the book you’re about to buy was written by someone who has a record of verifiable experience and is respected by his or her peers.

•    Focus on specific issues. There are many self-help books out there that promise to solve all of life’s problems in one fell swoop. Although the idea of tackling everything at once can be tempting, research shows that it’s better to stick to one issue at a time. The more specific the problem that you are tackling is, the more likely you are to succeed in overcoming it.

•    Tune out unrealistic promises. There’s been a rash of bad publicity lately over a new generation of self-help authors that promise their readers the attainment of whatever their hearts may desire. It’s true that you should never underestimate the power of positive thinking, but any self-help concept that sounds too good to be true, probably is.

•    Avoid books that privilege style over substance. Before you buy, flip through the self-help book you’re considering. Is the book full of empty platitudes and poetic clichés, or is it based on action-oriented strategies that are designed to work in the real world? Does the author back up her claims with footnotes or references? Is a list of “further reading” resources offered? Try to opt for books that offer more gravity than hot air.

• Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Self-help books are often a great resource to help you along your path towards permanent and meaningful life change, and research has shown that they can be effective tools when used in the right way. But there are some problems that simply require professional help. If you’re dealing with serious depression or anxiety, or you feel that your physical health may be suffering, please don’t hesitate to consult with a trained and licensed professional.

David B. Bohl from Slow Down FAST Today! (rss)

When dealing with self-help style books it is easy to forget the most of the people writing them aren’t that much different than you.

I read books a lot, though not on any particular schedule. I read anywhere between 2 books a week to 2 books a month. I try to focus on what I’m most interested in reading, as well as something I need the most help with. I’ve also recently discovered some popular business books have their synopses on sites like Wikipedia. This news has saved me lots of time.

Anne from Writers Cabal Blog (rss)

That is useful information for finding summaries. I like using summaries as a review some time after I’ve read a book. It helps remind me of what I learned.

I read VORACIOUSLY. We have eight magazine subscriptions (The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The Economist, Wired, Cook’s Illustrated, Consumer Reports, Bon Appetit, and Discover) and I still manage to knock back about three books a week. Mostly, I follow recommendations and try to mix things up with a variety of stuff to keep it interesting and to force my mind into new angles on familiar topics.

Trent Hamm from The Simple Dollar (rss)

That is a pretty varied list of magazines. I have a similar number of subscriptions, but not quite as wide of range in subject matter.

I read approximately 10-15 books a month, so being picky is not an issue. In my industry (marketing)-you have to keep up with trends. It’s the only way I can constantly give my clients and readers fresh information.

In terms of finding books, I have some favorite authors that I seek out. Other times, I just scan the shelves to see what’s intriguing. = )

Shama Hyder from After The Launch (rss)

Amazon’s “people who liked this also liked” feature can be pretty useful for finding other books as well.

I try to read a book every week or two. Since I read mostly for idea fodder and to kick-start my thinking, I try to read as wide a variety of material as possible. I think the only mistake you can make with reading is to be too narrow.

Scott Young from ScottHYoung.com (rss)

It is easy to get to focused on one particular area. On the other hand, taking some time (a few months) to really focus on one particular topic can help you learn and explore that area better than reading the same content with other reading in between.

Reading regularly is an excellent practice, one that every expert agrees is a key to success. I have a goal of one book a week, which I’ve not been able to keep up with recently due to some health issues. I’ve discovered I can get the majority of ideas from a book by limiting myself to one hour. This also allows reading a *lot* of books, which is part of my goal of becoming ridiculously valuable to people.

Like any diet, quality and variety are important. My current one is a mix of productivity, self-improvement, and popular non-fiction. Importantly, I suggest a balance between reading as work and reading as pleasure. If you can’t tell, the former involves thinking and taking notes.

Matthew Cornell from Matt’s Idea Blog (rss)

I’m still working on getting better at taking notes on reading. I tend to just remember that there was a section in a particular book about a topic and then spend hours trying to locate it later.

I used to be very big into science fiction and political thrillers. However, I find that right now, I’m too brain dead after doing research that I really need something engaging, but without requiring a lot of brainpower. So, my favorite books right now are murder mysteries, especially with a strong female heroine. They tend to be set in present day, so I don’t have to expend any brainpower in understanding the world. Plus, I’m happy to just go along for the ride, so I’m usually surprised at the villain in the end!

Every three or four books, I pick up some scifi. I love the genre, but I do find that it takes me twice as long, or longer, to read, since you really need to digest some of it.

Every now and then I read non-fiction, but it really has to be interesting to hold my attention. I blame that on the fact that I have to do so much “thinking” reading for my research. When I want to read for pleasure, I want to relax and enjoy it.

GTD Wannabe from GTD Wannabe (rss)

I’m a big scifi fan as well. I’d recommend Asimov’s short stories if you are looking for a good read, but don’t have enough time or concentration. H.G. Wells short stories are also great.

I do most of my reading during down-time between appointments at work, or on a “Day Off”. Unless, of course, I am doing some research for a post or article or book review. Then I carve out an hour in my morning routine.

I would like to modify this, and set up a regular time for reading every day.

Stephen Smith from Productivity in Context (rss)

I tend to get most of my reading in when we travel to see family. Fortunately, that is usually about once each quarter so that gives me some time to really dig into reading. As the number of people in my family have gone up, the amount I read has gone down.

Since my blog is a resource for book clubs and readers in general, I read a LOT, all the time! I usually read three or four books simultaneously – contemporary fiction and Pulitzer fiction for the book club kits I sell through my site, some sort of nonfiction, a book on tape in the car, and then pleasure fiction before bed. I try to read whatever is getting a lot of attention — either critically or through word of mouth. I currently read about 30 lit blogs daily, so I have a pretty good sense of what I should be reading and reviewing on my blog.

Kristen from BookClubClassics (rss)

I usually have 2 or 3 books going at a time, but I question if this is really a good way to read. I try to spread them out in different areas. If I have one technical book, once science book, and a business book going all at the same time, it seems to work pretty well.

I’m always careful to read something just FOR FUN every once in a while. Otherwise, I tend to stop making time for reading, which is really my favorite activity.

It can feel like a waste of time to re-read LITTLE WOMEN or VANITY FAIR for the third time, but in fact, it keeps me reading more.

Gretchen Rubin from The Happiness Project

Good point. If you don’t ever enjoy what you read it is harder to keep making it a priority.

Skim, Scan and Save my RSS feeds. That cuts about 80% of the feed items. If I miss something important, I’ll notice a buzz and go deeper.

For books - if it’s not written or endorsed by a blogger I trust, I don’t buy it.

For magazines – depends on travel. The more I travel, the More I read.

MIke Sansone from ConverStations (rss)

I tend to get more book reading done during travel than magazines. I’m learning how to choose the right reading material for what I’m doing. Scanning a magazine is easier with short periods of time. A technical book may not be worth cracking open unless I have at least 20 minutes of contiguous time available.

My reading habits consist of listening to Audio Books and then buying the written book if needed for reference.

I usually choose the latest business and personal productivity titles from Audible.

John Richardson from Success Begins Today (rss)

I wish there were a way to buy the book once, and have access to the audio or text versions.

My reading habits these days involve:
1) Limit the time I spend reading to a minimum
2) I choose to only read material that will advance the work I’m doing with clients.
3) Scan books for what I need

Ariane Benefit from Neat & Simple Living (rss)

Scanning is a skill that I’m working on improving. I still prefer to just sit down and read something at my own pace, but there isn’t always time for that.

Filed Under Development · 8 Comments

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Brain Rules

March 9, 2009

Not Because it is Easy

March 5, 2009

Excercise and Cognitive Performance

January 27, 2009

Study Tips

January 20, 2009

Habit List

January 5, 2009

How To Simplify Your Life Links

December 16, 2008

Personal Development: Continual Improvement

December 15, 2008

I try to remain curious. I constantly challenge my own thinking … even when I don’t want to. Take blogging for example. I thought it was a fad and refused to get involved. But after a while I wondered why I was adamantly against it … and I opened up my sense of curiosity and jumped in.

Being curious opens you to the world of new ideas and challenges your own sense of the status quo. Feeding your curiosity ensures you are always learning.

Gavin Heaton from Servant of Chaos (rss)

I’m facing a similar dilemma when it comes to online games/virtual worlds. On one hand, I think they are a waste of time, but I also don’t want to miss learning something important or a different way to view the world.

The best way to make sure that you are continually learning new things is to pursue a career that challenges you and pushes you out of your comfort zone (in a good way). What could be better than learning every day and getting paid for it? Even if your job provides learning opportunities (and especially if it doesn’t), I think it’s a good idea to also seek other ways of expanding your horizons on a regular basis. I regularly take classes and seminars in areas outside of my areas of professional expertise and read books on a wide range of topics. I have gotten some of my best ideas from very unexpected places.

Pamela Skillings from Escape from Corporate America (rss)

I think everyone should take a few minutes at least once a year and decide what the current work zone is. It is easy to get use to not learning anything and settle in for many years without realizing it.

Have an open mind and lose the foolish ego. No matter how talented or knowledgeable you think you are as far as a certain field is concerned, you can rest assured that there is always room for improvement. In the end, you will be the only one losing out if you choose to live in denial.

Alan Johnson from TheRatingBlog (rss)

Ego also tends to make people not like you–even if you are every bit as good as you think you are.

I think the most important thing is to remain interested. By that I mean that you should be interested in the world around you, other people an new developments.

Taking an interest in things takes you in new directions, stops you getting too rooted in one place. Simply taking an interest in what your friends are doing can lead you down new paths and onto new and exciting things.

Katy Whitton from Flipping Heck! Productivity, Project Management & Motivation Blog (rss)

This goes back to Pamela’s suggestion to make sure your career is keeping your interest.

By continuously pushing myself out of my comfort zone. It’s there, and only there, where growth can be found.

“Everything you want is just outside your comfort zone” ~ Robert Allen

Lodewijk van den Broek from How to be an Original (rss)

Good point. If you are comfortable, then you probably aren’t reaching your full potential.

The best way I know to continue to grow and learn is to set up a life that is conducive to risk taking. The times you learn the most are when you have no idea what’s in front of you.

It’s very hard to take risks if you have heavy financial needs. You cannot change careers, you cannot take time off from working, you cannot have slip-ups where you fail to earn money in an unpredictable way.

Keep financial needs way down, or at least way flexible so that you can take risks that force you to learn about yourself.

Penelope Trunk from Brazen Careerist

Early on, my wife and I decided to live well below our means. This has enabled us to do all kinds of things that are completely out of reach for most people. I constantly encounter people who can’t understand how we can spend so much time traveling or doing other things that are important to us. But most of those people spend 75% of their income on expenses that we don’t even incur.

Keep on moving. Meet new people. Enroll on formal courses. Allocate time and money to learning. I commit 20% of my time to it. I’d like to commit more. It is the best investment of time you can make.

Benjamin from WOWNDADI (rss)

The 20% rule sounds similar to Google letting employees spend 20% of their time on pretty much any project that interests them.

Surround yourself with highly motivated and talented people.

Tatsuya Nakagawa from Product Life

Easier said than done, but very valuable advice.

As a software consultant, I learned a long time ago that not learning new technologies would be fatal to my career. Working as I do with many projects and technologies, I am constantly learning.

In the non-technical parts of my life, I try to keep pushing my skills and knowledge. For example, in crafting, with each new project I try to learn new techniques or new crafts. For productivity and simplicity, I read, and try things out.

I view my life as a giant experiment of best practices that evolves over time.

LJ from simpleproductivityblog (rss)

When you start lagging behind on learning new things, you are headed downhill. It can be quite a challenge to identify when that is occurring though.

Keep a queue. Always have fresh ideas lined up that can fill your time whenever you find any. Whenever I see one of my projects winding down, I know its time to start the next idea in line.

Scott Young from ScottHYoung.com (rss)

A list can help make sure you pick the most valuable thing to pursue. Without it, you’ll tend to pick something that comes to mind–not necessarily what you feel is most important.

College is important, but it isn’t a determining factor to be successful in life. I believe that a good work ethic, a willingness to learn, and honesty will take you a long way. Having said that, I am currently attending college 20 years after graduating high school.

Rolando J from macNwin (rss)

I think college is pretty valuable, but most people see it as a 4 year one time investment. Getting a degree out of high school should be just part of your life long educational plan. I’ve been enrolled in a college course of some type for the last 15 years and am working on finishing up my second master’s degree. With all the distance education opportunities it is significantly easier to keep yourself educated than it was even 10 years ago.

I enjoy reading and so I often peruse the aisles of my favorite book store and will always discover a book that would lend some insight from a different perspective.

I often write and with all the thoughts that collect from my reading and time alone, I tend to sort of bits of wisdom which often inspire me to find more!

Another method I truly enjoy is speaking to people from all different walks of life. I learn so much when I spend time with the elderly or check out the recommendations of new friends who also seek growth or experience a sense of balance, peace and happiness.

JEMi | Tips for Life, Love, You from InMyHeels.com (rss)

I like to go to bookstores and find sections I know nothing about and see what new things I can learn.

I take a step back and see if I’m generally comfortable with everything I’m doing. If so, I know that I’ve stagnated to some degree and need to push myself to do things that I’ve never done before. If you’re comfortable with where you are, you know it’s time to move on.

John from Fiscal Musings (rss)

If you have no fear of failure in your current projects, you probably are operating well below your potential. I don’t think people realize how dangerous it is to stagnate in their job–5 years of not learning anything new is deadly to a career.

First, by reading something outside of the things I know and believe everyday. Second, by trying to make the things I think about become real, whether that’s expressing an idea, creating a new tool, or drawing a picture that represents what I’m thinking about. Thirdly, I talk to as many different people as I can, as everyone brings new ideas and perspectives to learn to the table. Lastly, I always try to do something better today than I did it yesterday.

Charlie Gilkey from Productive Flourishing (rss)

Charlie makes a good point about working on continual improvement. If you get a little better every day, your growth over a few years can be tremendous.

It’s just part of my DNA. I don’t know any other way to be in the world!

Ariane Benefit from Neat & Simple Living (rss)

Well that probably makes things easier.

Reading blogs, listening to Audio books, and listening to the news and talk radio.

John Richardson from Success Begins Today (rss)

I’m a big fan of audio books. Recently I’ve been experimenting with summaries of audio books. The are good and bad points, but it helps you cover a lot of ground very quickly–useful if you want to make sure you are abreast of any new things in a particular field.

This is what I live for. Personal development and the study of personal change is my passion, so it’s not hard to keep moving forward.

When I’m trying to implement a dramatic change or improve rapidly I like to set up some type of crazy challenge for myself – something like eat a vegan diet for a month. By doing this I raise the bar extremely high. At the end of the month when I let myself backslide I don’t go all the way back to where I started. Instead, I’ve improved but the improvement seems easy compared to the challenge.

Maria Gajewski from Never the Same River Twice (rss)

That an interesting tactic. Kind of like running with weights or at a higher altitude while you are training.

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Development: Make yourself smarter

October 29, 2008

Read, read and read. Then act and implement. Rinse and repeat.

Joel from Joel Falconer (rss)

There are few things that are as valuable as a regular plan for reading over your entire lifetime.

Listen, listen, and then listen some more.
Notice the patterns in everything.
Notice what is good before you try to fix what could be better.
Notice the way things work instead of wishing things were different.
Accept what is before you try to change it.
Surrender to what you cannot change.
Truly care about other people.
Seek to first understand before you judge any situation.
Be curious, avoid thinking you already know how people will react to things.

Ariane Benefit from Neat & Simple Living (rss)

It is amazing how much we don’t notice. One of the ways humans deal with massive amounts of information is to ignore the things that don’t seem important. By putting a little effort into noticing the things we’ve trained ourselves to ignore, we can see things that no one else does.

Easy: Work a little bit every day on something that you want to be skilled in or want to improve on. Here’s the secret though: It has to be every day. You have to make a conscious effort to work at least for a few minutes every day for your skill. But don’t worry… after a while it becomes a habit.

Glen Stansberry from LifeDev (rss)

It is the tortoise that wins. 15 minutes every day practicing a skill is better than spending a few hours over 2 weeks. I think we tend to underestimate how much our skills develop when we aren’t working on them. Working on something every day helps keep the skill active in our subconscious–even when we aren’t actively working on that skill.

I make sure I read every day, and not just blogs, but books, magazines, newsletters and newspapers. I also have the TV on in the background while I work and “watch” TIVOed shows from Discovery, TLC, History Channel, and the like.

I always like to find something that makes me say “I didn’t know that.” There is so much to learn in this world and so little time that I really make a concerted effort to keep learning and growing every day. If you don’t learn something new every day, no matter what it is, you’ll stagnate.

Charlene Anderson from Unravelings (rss)

Personally, I find it very difficult to watch something while doing something else, but Charlene makes a good point about how much information is available if we just take the time to consume it. I have started trying to move most of my reading offline. While I still take time to read blogs and some items on the web, I found that it was crowding out time that I would normally spend reading books.

I learned to teach myself. Any topic that has been written about, I can teach myself how to do it on a professional level. This has made me more valuable to my employers and to my clients. I also constantly expose myself to things that I either don’t want to do, haven’t tried, or wouldn’t normally do.

For example, I commonly read business books. I make sure to integrate strong literature in-between business books to open my thinking. I just finished reading “Personality Not Included” and am now reading “Notes from The Underground” before I begin the next business book.

Nathan Snell from The Technopian (rss)

From what I’ve read about how the brain develops, doing something new is about the best way to expand your ability to think.

I like using the car to learn. Because of spending a lot of hours in the car each week, I have found that it is easy to learn by using podcasts and ebooks to enhance your knowledge. It is so easy to learn something in your commute to work. In addition, being willing to attend classes, conferences, seminars, if your employer provides these opportunities, is also valuable to becoming more valuable to yourself and your employer.

Rolando from macNwinblog (rss)

I’ve been amazed at how many people don’t take advantage of their employer-sponsored educational opportunities. I have left higher paying jobs to take a position that was willing to support more continued education.

I’m a planner and out of the box thinker and am not afraid to try new things. I’m also pretty good at evaluating processes for efficiency and effective. On the personal level, planning and trying new things ensures that I’m continually learning and growing. On the social (valuable level), being able to plan and evaluate allows me to help others achieve their goals.

Charlie Gilkey from Productive Flourishing (rss)

Another vote for trying new things.

Audio books… have revolutionized my life. I try to listen to a new one each week. Business and self development titles rule. And the cool thing is I listen while I’m driving or doing other unproductive stuff.

I’ve learned more in the last year than in many a college lecture. Highly recommended!

John Richardson from Success Begins Today (rss)

I make use of podcasts and audiobooks from iTunes.

In 5 years, I will be the exact same person I am today except for three things:

1. The books I read.

2. The people I meet.

3. The websites I visit.

These three things have helped me become a much more smart individual, but they go deeper than just “smart.” These three things have helped me to become more “wise.” Being smart means that you know facts, being wise means that you know how to use those facts in a beneficial way.

Ron Haynes from The Wisdom Journal (rss)

Good point. Having the knowledge isn’t of much use if you can’t apply it. Someone who knows less, but is better at applying information is going to be much smarter in terms of actual results.

To break down and understand how and why I do the things I do; by which I mean that if I have achieved something I know others would like to achieve, breaking down how I did this into a process and logical steps that others can follow is one of the most effective ways of improving your own value and worth to others.

Not only are you then an example and case study of having achieved something, you can also show others how to do it too.

Lea Woodward from Location Independent Living (rss)

Being reflective and asking “why” is extremely valuable and something we don’t usually spend enough time doing. As Lea points out this is particularly true in the areas where we are successful. If something works well for you figure out what you are doing that works.

I’ve found that the best way to manage my time (and my stress) has been to focus on things that really matter. It’s about knowing what I absolutely have to do and what can either be postponed, delegated, or done away with altogether. It’s about knowing what to take seriously and what to let slide. It’s about taking care of the big things so the little ones take care of themselves and the really little ones don’t bother me at all.

Why do anything else? Why be one of those people who knows more about Hollywood’s hottest couple than they do about their own family and friends? Why be one of those people who spends hours and hours watching the latest reality show but never has time to take a walk or read a book? Those things aren’t important, so why not spend time focusing on the things that are?

Eugene from Varsity Blah (rss)

Defining your priorities is a very important part of knowing where to invest your time in yourself.

The best way to make yourself smarter is to always step back and look at the big picture and make a wise decision before you start down the wrong path.

Something only has value when it is demanded by another person. The way to make yourself more valuable has everything to do with how much others demand your time or skill. Becoming more skillful brings you much less benefit if you are not perceived as being skillful, regardless of what the reality is. Perception isn’t everything, but perception certainly is powerful.

Jason from World Fitness Network (rss)

Some good advice. I particularly like Jason’s take on doing things deliberately.

Reading, of all sorts, and paying attention, so that I can to think up good questions and work out possible answers.

Michael Leddy from Orange Crate Art (rss)

Good point. Just reading isn’t very helpful. You have to actually pay attention to what you are reading.

I’ve been practicing Transcendental Meditation for 40 years. It has done miracles for me. It has increased my intelligence and made me more creative, healthier, happier, more insightful, more loving, and richer. If interested specifically in TM, you must learn how to do it properly. For that I would recommend visiting www.tm.org to find a trained teacher.

Fred Gratzon from The Lazy Way to SUccess

Interesting point of view. I’m a bit suspicious of TM, but I do think most people don’t spend enough time reflecting.

I constantly consume podcasts and audiobooks while driving. As an added bonus, I mind the traffic far less!

Eva Holtz from College Admissions Secrets (rss)

This is something I do as well. It is amazing how many great resources are available for free now days.

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Personal Development: How do you know it is time to look for a different job?

October 6, 2008

I think when you start counting down — hours to the end of the day, days to Friday, weeks to vacation — it is time to start finding something more fulfilling. Wishing your life away is no way to live — when you are doing something deeply satisfying, time disappears and each day becomes exhilarating!

Kristen from BOOK CLUB CLASSICS (rss)

I think we underestimate the value of a minute spent doing something we really enjoy.

It’s time to look for a new job when you are spending too much time working to earn money that you will never have the time to enjoy, and trying to earn the respect of people who really don’t care about you. Life is too short to not be lived.

Jason from World Fitness Network (rss)

It is amazing what people will do to impress people they don’t really like.

Jobs are valuable only insomuch as they allow you to do other things. If you are so physically or mentally exhausted that you cannot do anything else, it’s time to get a new job. If you find that work gets in the way of you doing what you want to do more than it enables you to do those things, it’s time to get a new job.

The ideal condition, of course, is when work is play since your job is what you want to do. If you’re happy doing what you want to do, success generally follows. If you’re not happy doing what you’re doing, success generally will not follow.

The best time to quit your current job, if it meets the conditions specified about, is as soon as you find a better alternative. There’s never a good time to switch jobs or change careers, but if you know something’s not working out for you, it is better to get off the boat while it’s still in harbor rather than some indefinite time in the future.

Charlie Gilkey from Productive Flourishing (rss)

I see many people getting an education in something that “pays well” without any thought as to what they really enjoy doing. I think people should put effort into things that they enjoy. Passion is often as valuable as knowing some well-paying skill. (Although it helps when you are passionate about something that pays well.)

If you don’t look forward to working when waking up in the morning then it’s clear that something is seriously wrong. Work is one of the things which should motivate you to get up in the morning, not make you wish that you were on holiday.

Alan Johnson from TheRatingBlog (rss)

If you wouldn’t prefer to be on holiday, I’d say you don’t know how to take good vacation. But, good point. If you wake up with dread instead of excitement, you are doing something wrong.

Good clues it might be time for a job change: you don’t feel like you are learning anything new; you don’t feel like anyone “gets” you; you examine your job responsibilities and realize that few line up with what you are actually good at and are interested in; you have serious concerns with the leadership or stability of your company; you feel dread when you get up in the morning to go to work; your health is poor due to overwork and stress or finally you don’t see how this job contributes to your long-term career goals.

Pamela Slim from Escape from Cubicle Nation (rss)

Good point on the long term goals. When I hire people, I always make it a point to find out where they are wanting to be in 5 or 10 years. I know I can make their work experience much more rewarding if I can help them work toward those goals.

When you don’t have passion for what you are doing anymore!

John Richardson from Success Begins Today (rss)

Although I would caution about jumping around just when things get boring, sometimes it is a sign that you need to talk to your boss and ask for more responsibility.

When somebody you know and trust makes you an offer you can’t refuse, and not before. That said, always be working towards being the person that will be made that offer. Priority number 1, even if you are a CEO, is to know who your boss will be. If that isn’t going to be bettered, with a high degree of certainty, then don’t jump. Never run away from things, always be called forwards. Unless the thing is a lion of course!

Benjamin from WOWNDADI (rss)

I have heard of high-level employees who said they would take a job with the condition that their office was on the same floor as the CEO. Another employee agreed to take a job as long as he was able to eat dinner with the CEO and other top executives a couple times each year. Who you work for matters and if you want to really learn from them, you need to make sure you actually are around them.

There are three important factors that cause me to look for another job:

1. The most important factor in my personal occupational satisfaction is that I enjoy my work. When the work becomes boring, unchallenging, or just pure drudgery and my boss doesn’t seem to care, I start looking elsewhere for employment.

2. Another important factor is that I am appreciated and valued. How important I am to my organization is evidenced by how I’m paid, how much I’m paid, whether my opinions are valued, and how I’m treated publicly and privately by my boss. If these areas are lacking and the boss doesn’t seem to care, I start looking elsewhere for employment.

3. My third factor is that I want my work to be meaningful and fulfilling on some level. I don’t have to be saving thousands of starving people, but I want to know that my employment results in the betterment of someone’s life. It may be that I help keep a group of people employed and able to feed their families. It may be that I help a struggling customer with setting up a payment plan. When my work seems to become nothing but a meaningless wad or paperwork, I start looking elsewhere for employment.

Right now, I’m looking elsewhere for employment….

Ron Haynes from The Wisdom Journal (rss)

I hope you find a job that you like. Your three items make an excellent read for managers who are looking at retaining people. I think a lot of bosses forget to treat people in the way they would like to be treated.

Usually when the business school career center tells us to…

In the past though, it’s always been when you plateau on the learning curve. If you stop growing and start stagnating, you slowly start to run into those things that really make your time at work stink.

It doesn’t mean you have to quit your company, but it does mean you need to either look for a promotion or for ways to expand your current job description.

Jared Degnan from Vanderbilt OwenBloggers (rss)

Good point. Before jumping ship, it might be worth looking for ways to make your current job better. If you are planning on leaving, it gives you quite a bit of leverage.

When you stop arriving an hour early just because you’re excited to start working.

Which would mean most people should start looking.

Joel Falconer (rss)

That is an interesting test. I agree that if you are showing up an hour early just because you like the work, you probably have a pretty good job–or a horrible social life.

When you have really tried to find the value in what you do, but can’t. When you feel like you are doing things that are unethical. When the ONLY reason for doing what you do is to make money.

When you start wondering if everything you do is useless and there is no hope for ever making things better. If these feelings are present much of the time at work, you are in the wrong job and probably in the wrong career too.

Ariane Benefit from Neat & Simple Living (rss)

Money is a good reason to work, but it is poor as an only reason.

For me, I know that I need to look for a new client when I am bored. If I am not learning and thinking and growing, I am stagnating. It’s time to move on.

LJ from simpleproductivityblog (rss)

This is a good reminder that people working for clients may sometimes need to switch to a new client in order to keep things interesting an fulfilling.

I’m entrepreneurial, but I believe strongly in multiple streams of income–that often includes working for another employer in addition to running my own business.

A year-and-a-half ago I made a career change from working as a Web Programmer to working as a computer Instructor and Courseware Author. I had identified in my 3- to 5-year plan that I needed to improve my public speaking skills and writing skills. Shortly after that, a great job opportunity became available to do just that. I’m loving it!

I’ve lost my share of jobs over the years as well, but each transition also turned into a better opportunity somewhere else.

More than anything, people need to follow their heart. Life is too short to spend it doing something you hate. Do what you love. Don’t be afraid to make a change when your own desires change. Give every job 110%, but don’t take anything so seriously that it ceases to be fun. When all the fun is gone it’s past time to leave.

Ricky Spears from Ricky Spears’ Blog (rss)

When you can see into the future and realize that the fun is going to be gone is a good time to leave. Better to move on while you are ahead.

Though I don’t qualify for this anymore…three straight days of “I don’t want to go to work at that place” was a clear signal.

Mike Sansone from ConverStations (rss)

It wouldn’t take me many days of waking up like that to come to the same conclusion. Fortunately, I’ve been able to move on before I got to that point at every job I’ve had.

I find this question difficult, because in a sense I’m always looking for a new job. I would say the most obvious tell would be stomach aches and difficulty sleeping. This is not a way to live life.

Anne from Writers Cabal Blog (rss)

If I’m going to get stomach aches and insomnia from my job, I’d rather be working for myself. If you are going to take that level of stress, you need the associated chance of reward and that just isn’t present in most jobs.

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