The Value of Lifelong Learning
Tomorrow, on December 1st, the countdown to 2018 officially begins. The New Year is an opportunity to start a new chapter and bring a revitalized focus and determination to your business.
Entrepreneurs in today’s competitive marketplace can’t afford to wait until January to start thinking about what practical action steps to take to improve their business. They need to hit the ground running. If you want to set the stage for maximum impact and results in 2018, the time to review your goals and create a plan for the New Year is NOW.
But how?
I teach my Celeste Giordano Coaching clients that if you want to build a prosperous Legacy Business in the New Year, you need to INVEST IN YOURSELF today.
Take a moment to ask yourself: How am I investing in myself today to make 2018 the most prosperous year yet in my business?
The Power of “Learn. Grow. Achieve. Prosper”
My personal motto – Learn, Grow, Achieve and Prosper – is the core of my action plan each year. Following this plan of action is the ultimate investment in yourself and your business.
With 2018 fast approaching, I’m going to spend the next four weeks digging deep into each pillar of the Learn, Grow, Achieve and Prosper action plan so you can invest in yourself and achieve personal and professional success in the coming year.
“If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.” – Zig Ziglar
Let’s begin by exploring the value of the “Learn” part of my motto. To learn is to gain knowledge, comprehension or mastery through study or experience.
Now, most people see the value of learning, but many entrepreneurs make the mistake of thinking that learning through experience is sufficient. Simply put: it isn’t. While we as entrepreneurs learn valuable skills, tools and lessons through both personal and professional experiences, you can’t plan for or control all your experiences. There are certain valuable skills and lessons that are most efficiently gained through study.
Speaking of efficiency, if you learn exclusively through experience, that often means learning important lessons through trial and error. In order to avoid the “errors” and mishaps that result from lack of knowledge, skills or tools, once again, you need to study?
So, while there is much to learn from experience, the most practical, expeditious way to learn is through study.
Uh, is Celeste asking me to hit the books?
No, at least not in the traditional sense. I’m not advocating that you sign up for a college course or study for an exam. However, I am encouraging you to embrace the role of “lifelong learner”. Committing to regularly, proactively learning is the ultimate investment in yourself and your business.
Learning Begins with YOU
To begin the process of learning to better yourself and your business, the first step is to look inward. Reflecting on what your strengths and weaknesses are will provide insight into the areas you need to study in order to improve. For instance, if you struggle with the numbers side of managing your business, you may need to study systems that simplify how you keep track of your expenses or learn how to use a tool like Tax Pocket, an app that allows you to keep your tax records organized year-round. It can feel uncomfortable to acknowledge your weaknesses and even more uneasy to tackle them head on. But nothing will improve your business more than arming yourself with skills to overcome the personal weaknesses that hold you back.
Tapping into the Right Learning Resources
So, you’re ready to invest in learning, but you aren’t sure where to start or which resources to turn to. The truth is that there is no one “right” learning resource. Just like your business is unique, you are unique and so is your learning style. Some entrepreneurs learn best by attending live workshops while others enjoy listening to books on CD in the car. Choose the learning resources most conducive to your learning preferences. Here are a few of the many learning opportunities available today:
- Attend a conference in your industry to learn about important trends. In addition to being rich in valuable content, these events are also fabulous networking opportunities!
- Visit your local library or book store and pick up a book (or book on CD) about personal growth, entrepreneurship or business development. I challenge my Celeste Giordano Coaching clients to read a book a month to keep up their learning momentum. One of my personal favorite books is Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People.
- Enroll in a course to learn a new skillset such as public speaking or social media 101. You can attend a course “live” at a local community college, but if you’re looking for more flexibility you can also take courses online, often for free! Visit Coursera.org to learn about some of their online learning opportunities.
- Join a Mastermind Group, a group affiliated with a business coach designed to offer peer brainstorming, accountability and support. I am always in awe of how my clients come together in my Mastermind group to lift each other up and help one another succeed.
- Learn from a seasoned professional who can teach you tools and strategies gleaned from years of personal experience that will accelerate your success.
Whatever learning resources you tap into, make sure you make learning a regular part of your routine. It is as essential as making sales calls and checking your emails. Schedule learning into your calendar just like you would schedule sales presentations and client meetings. When you invest in learning regularly, you unlock the doors for growth, achievement and prosperity.
“The Capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; and the willingness to learn is a choice.” – Brian Herbert
One of the most powerful ways to invest in yourself is to work with an experienced business consultant. When you work with a consultant or strategist with proven systems for success, you accelerate the learning process and produce greater results faster than you can accomplish on your own.
At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I teach my clients the strategies that are needed to build a Legacy Business and live their best life, at and outside the office. If you’d like to “Double Plus” your income this year all while creating a lifestyle that allows you to spend time doing the things you love with the people you love most, contact me today.
Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “double-plus” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with almost 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.
To learn more about Celeste, click here.
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