Always Improving

“Forget the ads for credit cards – a library card is the single most powerful card you can carry in your wallet or purse.”  -- Tom Hopkins

The key to personal growth is simple but profound.  Keep on learning.  That is all there is to it.  Always be improving yourself through learning.  I am not talking about always being in school or taking a class.  We have this misconception that the only way to learn is in a formal setting.  Where I am not opposed to taking classes, in fact, I encourage you to do so, but it is not the only way to learn.

I want to share with you four ways you can learn on a daily bases.  Remember that we each have a different learning style.  If a lesson or principal does not connect with you, do not toss it out.  The principal is most likely true; you just have to translate it into the way you learn best.

“The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.”  -- Albert Einstein

1)     Learn From Those Who Succeed.

Always remember this, success leaves clues.  If someone is succeeding, there is a reason for it.  It is never luck or by chance.  They are doing things that cause them to succeed and if you are sharp enough to notice what they do, you too can succeed.

People and companies that are successful are always growing and improving.  It is a regular part of what they do.  Management expert, Tom Peters says, “Excellent firms don’t believe in excellence – only in constant improvement and constant change.”

Look for those who are succeeding in your field or in life and ask yourself these questions:

1.      What do they do on a regular basis?

2.      What books do they read?

3.      How do they behave and talk?

 “The improvement of understanding is for two ends: first, our own increase of knowledge; secondly, to enable us to deliver that knowledge to others.”  -- John Locke

2)     Learn From Those Who Make Mistakes.

We have all heard that we need to learn from others mistakes.  Unfortunately we all seem to be bent on making our own.  Just as we look at those who succeed for clues as to how it is done, so we need to look at their mistakes so we know what not to do.  Like success, mistakes also leave clues and if you follow them you too will fail.

Improvement is a conscience decision to learn.  You are not just following steps and technique to get to an end result.  We learn from other’s mistakes so we do not make them our self.  We do those things that lead to success and therefore to improvement.  Chuck Knox said, “Practice without improvement is meaningless.”  Learn with purpose.

When you see others make mistakes or they let you know of mistakes they made on their way to success, ask yourself these questions:

1.      What did they do wrong?

2.      Why did they think it was the right thing at the time?

3.      How will this lesson apply to you? 

 “The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.”.”  -- B.B. King

3)     Learn How to Take Action.

You can learn all the principals there are on how to succeed.  You can learn from others mistakes and be an expert in your field.  But if you never put it into action it is useless and a waste of time.  Nothing becomes useful until you use it.  It is not only putting it into action but the speed in which you do it.  What you learn today must be acted on today.  Former CEO of EG, Jack Welch said, “An organization’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage.”

This does not only apply to companies but to individuals as well.  Your ability to learn and turn that learning into action will determine the speed and level of your success in anything.  The one thing that differs between those who succeed and those who don’t is action.

When you have learned something of value, ask your self these questions:

1.      How can I put this into action?

2.      What is the first step I can take?

3.      Who can I teach this lesson to?

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” – Benjamin Franklin

4)     Learn and Use Your Strengths.

If you walk away from this with anything I pray it is the knowledge of your strengths.  We live in a culture that tells us to find our weaknesses and make them strong.  That is a useless waste of time.  It is your strengths that will bring excellence to your life, not weaknesses.  You can learn how to manage your weaknesses but they will never become your strengths.

So how do you find your strengths?  Marcus Buckingham has several wonderful books on strengths that I would recommend you read.  One of the tools he talks of is the SIGN of strength.  It is an acronym he uses that goes:

S – Success: Do you feel a sense of accomplishment when you perform           certain tasks?

I – Instinct:  Do you feel instinctively drawn to a certain type of task?

G – Growth: Are you learning and growing when engaged in this task?

N – Needs: Is this task fulfilling your needs?

There are other ways you can find your strengths and how you perform best.  If you have never had a DISC assessment done I would suggest you do that.  It will help you understand yourself better and see how you perform the best.

When looking at your strengths ask yourself these questions:

1.      What do I like doing the best?

2.      What makes me feel strong and competent?

3.      If I could do anything for a living, what would it be?

“Enter every activity without giving mental recognition to the possibility of defeat.  Concentrate on your strengths, instead of your weaknesses…on your powers, instead of your problems.” – Paul J. Meyer

© Jack Hickey 2010