I guess you’d call me a LEARNAHOLIC. I’ve come to realize that I get a kick out of learning something new. And, I enjoy the opportunities to share wisdom I’ve learned from thought leaders, relevant articles, internet information that might include revealing an interesting statistic, or even from hearing a friend’s idea. In fact, I find myself literally asking my friends and colleagues to send ME things I might find compelling in my life or work. I learned a long time ago that I can’t know it all — nor would I be so arrogant as to think I know it all even within my niche topics of Professional Presence and Personal Branding. (On that note, I’d love to hear from any of YOU if you find interesting information – Send it to me!)
We leaders get it! Now it’s up to us to share with others. My belief is that anyone can be a leader in their corner of this world. As we mature, the key to continue living a purposeful life is to keep learning and sharing. That doesn’t take money. That doesn’t take exercise. It just takes curiosity.
Sometimes, we all can lack confidence, even when our success is obvious. Learning builds confidence and gives us the guts to take credit for what we’ve earned. Don’t be afraid to share what you know. It’ll only help you earn respect by your willingness to share your expertise, life’s lessons, or wisdom that comes with maturing.
In a recent Forbes article, it states that women who are 50+ are less likely to step out of their comfort zones when an opportunity presents itself, even when knowing they’re competent. The article continues to say the problem is that women may know they’re competent, but they’re not confident enough to step up to the plate — sometimes passing on the opportunity!
The good news is that neurological studies suggest that women simply have to change their thinking and make the choice to expand their minds; and 50+ is the perfect time to do it! It’s a theory called brain plasticity, meaning that our brains are malleable much later in life than we first thought.
So what does this mean for you? There’s no limit on learning. Here’s a hard reality — the more we know, the more we realize we don’t know. Now that’s an oxymoron!
Last year, I attended an ASTD (American Society of Training and Development) Conference in Dallas, TX. It was jam packed with fabulous sessions and exhibit booths with morsel after morsel of delicious “food for thought.” Of course, I wanted to attend every session and peruse every booth—IMPOSSIBLE! Admittedly, I left the conference with a renewed sense of how much I don’t know. And, how much I want to know and need to know about things related to my current work. Things like trends in training and development, the newest technology to deliver information, and great presentation tips to make my programs more engaging. I saw materials at that conference that could keep me busy absorbing them for the rest of my life! I left the conference determined to implement one thing at a time and apply the wealth of knowledge piece by piece. That learning experience was yet another opportunity for my growth!
There’s so much to learn! Where do you start? Here are a few ideas to consider:
1 – Read about and get involved in activities that relate to your interests.
2 – Knowing we live in a digital world, embrace that technology without becoming overwhelmed. There’s always a “how-to” on the web, a webinar, tutorial, or someone to help you learn how to navigate the web.
3 – Continue to network. It’s amazing what we can learn by just talking to other experts.
4 – Make it a habit of learning one new thing every day. With the wealth of information and opportunities available to us, just step out of your comfort zone, grow confidence, and learn—then learn more.
Speaking of learning, here are interesting facts I learned recently from WebMD Magazine:
- A study of 400,000 retirees found that those who retired at an older age were less likely to develop dementia later.
- Shopaholics comprise one in 10 of us women. How fun is that! But we CAN overdo it. There is such a thing as compulsive shopaholics. These people have two things in common:
- First, they don’t think credit card debt is a big deal; they may max out cards, skip payments, or only pay the monthly minimums.
- Secondly, they often shop to feel happier. Hmm, something to think about!
- Parents’ TV viewing habits influence their kids’ patterns of screen time. For every hour of television that parents watch, their children watch an additional 12 minutes. Parents have a greater impact on kids’ patterns than screen time rules or access to a TV in the bedroom. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends kids get no more than two hours of non-educational screen time per day. Let’s share this with our young mothers!
Remember, learning is K through 80+. What have you learned lately?
