Why Lifelong Learning Leads to Success

Whether personally or professionally, success is something that people strive to achieve their entire lives. Since success looks different for everyone, finding it can be a challenge that you can only overcome through hard work. In a world that is constantly changing at an incredible pace, becoming a lifelong learner can boost your chances of success.

 

Builds Your Skillset

 

The more skills you have, the better chance you have to become and stay employed when it comes to the workplace. Discovering new learning opportunities is the key to increasing your skillset.

 

If you are a lifelong learner, you can increase your level of knowledge and skills to the point where you are more marketable to future employers. In addition, if you are already employed, your potential for advancement is more likely if you take the time to learn new skills.

 

It is important to keep in mind that you should continue pursuing knowledge even if you get promoted to a significant position. This is especially true in a marketplace where things change so rapidly.

 

Increases Your Ability to Communicate

 

Communication is a key factor in creating the success you desire in your personal or professional life. This is because it allows you to send information out into the world and understand the world around you.

 

If you are a lifelong learner, you tend to gain knowledgeable information about various topics that you can then communicate effectively with others. Being seen as a source of valuable information is a trait that many successful people hold.

 

Good communication effectively comes from having confidence in various areas of interest. Additionally, when you are familiar with a topic, you will convey the information so that people will understand and can apply it directly.

 

Creates Opportunities

 

If you ask most people why they are not taking risks in either their personal or professional lives, they will probably say they are afraid of failing. This is especially true in the world that is moving at lightning speed.

 

Lifelong learning creates opportunities that you might not have had the opportunity to partake in prior. This is because by acquiring new knowledge and skills, you may seek out new career opportunities.

 

Employers are typically looking for people that have versatile abilities that will, in turn, be better for the bottom line of the company. People who are willing to continuously learn new skills are extremely attractive to businesses.

 

Overall, understanding that lifelong learning leads to success is vital for anyone wanting to boost their success. Taking the time to learn new things is a sure-fire way to show others that you are a great resource for knowledge.

 

10 Easy Ways to Develop a Lifelong Learning Habit

If you were to develop one skill to help you to get ahead in all aspects of life, what would it be?

 

Studies have shown that by far, the best advantage you can give yourself is to become a lifelong learner. Why? Because without learning, the mind stagnates.

 

Thankfully, becoming a lifelong learner isn’t hard. Below are ten easy ways to build a habit of learning that will serve you in years to come.

 

Commit

 

Unless you make lifelong learning a priority, you’re not going to enjoy success. You start with committing to change and then go from there.

 

Create a Personalized Learning Environment

 

True learning results when you take charge of your learning environment. Sit down with your mentor and make concrete goals. Set up a system that enables you to learn and a setting in which you can learn. Once you have this, you are truly ready to begin.

 

Read

 

Read books, magazines, news articles, academic journals, and anything that catches your attention. If it’s interesting to you, then it’s worth perusing. 

 

Keep a List

 

Have a question? Write it down. Come back to this list later and Google the answers. Let this become the jumping off point for learning new things.

 

Create

 

Create a project out of one of the things you find interesting. Set goals, give a timeline, and a final deadline to complete it. Invite others to take part in your project with you. You learn so much more when you collaborate. Create milestones and celebrate each one on your road to completion.

 

Socialize

 

Hang out with smart people who also enjoy learning. These will become your encouragers and mentors along the way.

 

Become a Mentor Yourself

 

We all have something we’re good at and could teach. Your particular skill set might be what someone else needs to succeed. By getting involved in mentoring, you find yourself not only cementing the knowledge you already have but learning new things as well.

 

Try Different Learning Styles

 

If you’ve always thought of yourself as one kind of learner, try a new way to learn. You’ll stimulate your brain in new and exciting ways.

 

Study with Others

 

When you work with a group, it’s generally easier to learn as you can draw upon the base of shared knowledge. That, in turn, helps you to discover new things yourself.

 

Seek out a Job that Encourages Lifelong Learning 

 

The final step toward lifelong learning is to find work where you are encouraged to learn new things, and which continually challenges you.

 

Remember, building habits that lead to lifelong learning rely on repetition. Engage in these activities as often as possible, making them a part of every single day if you can, for optimal success.

 

Life Coaches Can Help You Deal with Adversity

When you discover a good life coach, they can help you with several aspects of your life. They will show you methods to overcome aspects of your life that are holding you back. They can also help you when you face adverse situations and can give you the guidance you need to help you pick up the pieces and get back on track.

 

They may start by teaching you to be positive and use techniques such as affirmations to retrain your brain to think positive thoughts. That is one of the biggest means to deal with adverse situations. It won’t prevent you from dealing with them, but it will help you focus on what is important. You need to practice these affirmations for them to be effective. It’s not a casual exercise that you do whenever the mood strikes. Make it a daily habit. Your mentor will know if you are not practicing them.

 

Prepare for your life coach to be truthful. The truth hurts, but it may be what you need to get past your situation. When you get caught up in blaming others and not taking responsibility, they will be quick to point this out to you. A good coach will present it in such a way that you will come to the conclusions yourself. And that makes it easier for you to accept and counter the action.

 

When you decide to use a life coach, don’t blame them if it doesn’t work out. That is, of course, assuming you chose a qualified coach. It’s not difficult to find a good coach if you take the right steps. Ask friends and family. Do a bit of digging to learn about their background.

 

Coaches are going to encourage you to step outside your comfort zone. Most coaches will use this to help the people they coach break away from bad habits and form new ones. It is called a comfort zone for a reason. It will be awkward, and at times, you may get angry at their suggestions. 

 

If the adversity you are dealing with is from the result of a traumatic experience, a life coach may not be qualified to handle such a deep situation. In this case, seek out a professional who has qualified in that area. You can still choose to use the life coach for other aspects of your development.

 

Why Is Mentorship Important?

Maybe you've been struggling a bit in life, and a friend or family member has suggested that you try out a mentor. You might be hesitant, wondering why a mentor is even important. But mentorship is important for several of the following reasons. 

 

Mentors Provide Knowledge

 

No matter who you are or what field you are in, you don't know everything there is to know. Even if your mentor is on the same level as you academically, they may have knowledge different from yours that could help you achieve goals both on the job and off. Having a mentor can also help shorten the growth curve when you take on a new project or set an ambitious goal. 

 

Mentors Can See Things You Can’t

 

One of the most difficult things in life can be clearly seeing yourself or your journey. A mentor can help with this since they can provide feedback about things you are doing from a third-party outsider's perspective. This can give you a valuable leap ahead when competing for a competitive position or another dream that depends on someone else’s selection to achieve. 

 

Mentors Offer Encouragement

 

Beyond just providing an outside perspective and giving you advice on decisions, mentors can also offer you daily encouragement. In fact, a good mentor will know you so well that they will know how to offer you the exact kind of encouragement that will get you going when you are stuck in a rut. This encouragement can help you to better stay on your path towards success. 

 

Mentors Introduce You To A Network

 

One of the other things that makes a mentor great is that they usually have a network of people behind them who are also available to you. They may introduce you to new people who can help you along your path. They may know people who can advise you in difficult situations. Either way, a mentor will introduce you to people who will be invaluable to your journey! 

 

Overall, if you find yourself struggling, it may be important that you find someone to mentor you. A mentor is a valuable person who can provide you with knowledge and help you see things that you normally can't. Not only that, but a mentor can offer you encouragement as well as introduce you to other new people who can be a great addition to your life. 

 

Tips To Study Better (Infographic)

5 Steps To Calm Your Mind And Increase Creativity (Infographic)

What Do Stress And Anxiety Look Like In The Brain? (Infographic)

Keeping Calm In Times Of Trouble (Infographic)

Hobbies That Help Calm Your Mind (infographic)

Find Inner Peace - Get Back To Nature

Do you ever feel disconnected? Maybe you're so preoccupied with everything in your daily existence that you hardly even have time to realize what's going on around you.

 

Perhaps the only moment you observe nature is when the weather meddles with your to-do list. Perhaps you can't recall the last time you were inclined to simply inhale and sit outdoors.

 

There is indeed a great deal of proof that spending time in nature has a considerable beneficial influence on both mental and physical health. Strolling in a green space has been demonstrated to help with mental health issues such as depression and ADHD. 

 

According to VeryWellMind, “On days when you’re struggling with negative thoughts about your body, many different coping mechanisms can help. But new research suggests you should get outside and spend time in nature to soothe those feelings. Negative body image is a risk factor for behaviors like disordered eating, which can have disastrous consequences for one’s body, mind, and relationships. Nowadays, it can be harder to avoid negative body thoughts when navigating social media."

 

Time spent in nature is a wonderful way to focus oneself in addition to treating particular mental health challenges and enhancing mental and physical wellbeing. 

 

For some of us, it is the start of a meditation practice or a heightened spiritual understanding of how we are all related. For others, it is simply a fantastic method to relieve tension. 

 

Here are a few excellent techniques to get started bonding with the natural world around you, no matter where you want your time outside to take you.

 

1. Slow down to the speed of nature

 

Walking slowly causes you to breathe more slowly, making you feel instantaneously more relaxed. Slow down and start seeing the environment around you. It may be a speck of lichen in a crack in the sidewalk or a tree you've never spotted before. Look around you carefully and deliberately to see what you discover as you sink into this more natural rhythm of being.

 

2. Experiment with barefoot breathing

 

We people are the only animals that put a shoe between our feet and the Spirit of the Earth. The act of taking off your shoes and standing barefoot on the ground satisfies a primitive urge for connectivity. 

 

Find a peaceful spot outside—a park nook, a quiet spot in your garden, or your favorite wild location. Shut your eyes and take 100 deep, soft breaths while feeling the sunlight on your face, the breeze on your body, and the warm heart of the ground via the soles of your feet.

 

3. Dine outside

 

Take your lunch or a book outside to enjoy on a park seat or picnic blanket. While you dine or read, take in the fresh air and natural sunlight (or both).

 

4. Give a tree a hug

 

Which words come to mind when you think about trees? Sturdy? High? Statuesque? Tenacious? Primitive? The world's oldest trees have been alive for thousands of years, and we rely on them to create the oxygen we need to live. 

 

Although the term "tree-hugger" is sometimes used ironically, hugging a tree is an easy method to boost your energy levels by mopping up all that energy and oxygen-rich deliciousness! Close your eyes and press your cheek on the trunk. Feel the bark on your flesh as you spread your arms to embrace the tree.

 

Also Visit a greenhouse or a flower shop. Soak in the aroma of green vegetation and a plethora of flowers. Step into a flower shop's refrigerated department, which is brimming with freshly cut bouquets. 

 

Give heed to the tiny weeds and wildflowers that sprout up in sidewalk cracks. Consider the persistence and perseverance of that small creature to take root and flourish in such a challenging environment whenever you observe this. Take a moment to send your best wishes and consider how you could connect to that type of strength.

Avoid These 4 Creativity Killers

When you are trying to boost your creative intelligence there are things that you need to avoid to give yourself the best chance of success. If you don’t do this, it doesn’t matter how much time and effort you spend on using different creativity techniques you are not going to get the optimal results.

 

We call these 4 things creativity killers. You need to know what they are and you must avoid them. In this article, we will explain what these are and what you can do to avoid them. Some of them are easy to avoid and others not so easy.

 

1. Being in a Creativity Stifling Job

 

This is one of those that is not so easy to avoid. A lot of jobs do not require you to use any of your creative talents. The boss shows you how to do the job and then you need to follow these instructions forever until someone changes them. That someone is not going to be you.

 

In a lot of jobs, you will be actively discouraged from trying to come up with creative ideas and new ways of doing things. This is a pretty short-sighted thing for a business to do but it does happen a lot. So, what can you do if you have a creativity stifling job?

 

The most obvious answer is to get another job where you can use your creativity. We appreciate that this is easier said than done. If this is not an option for you then change your routine at work. Go out for lunch and find an area where you can be creative. Spend time with different people every day to get a fresh perspective.

 

2. Being too Connected

 

What we mean here is that you are so involved with everyone and everything you never have time for creativity. Every minute of every day you are busy doing something. If this is you then you need to change this right now.

 

Everyone seems to have a smartphone these days and they just spend too much time with it. It really is not necessary for you to respond to every notification you receive immediately. Look at different ways that you can disconnect yourself so that you can free up some creative time.

 

3. Copying others

 

You have been asked by your boss to come up with some new ideas for the company website. Most people in this situation will look at what their competitor is doing and suggest that this is copied. It is OK to look at the work of other creative people for inspiration but it is not a good idea just to copy them.

 

Anyone can copy someone else. It is the easy way out and you do not need to use any creativity to do this. Don’t just follow what others do – find inspiration elsewhere and come up with your own ideas.

 

4. Ignoring what others are telling you

 

This is something that a lot of entrepreneurs do because they are so focused on their own ideas. Not listening enough to others can happen elsewhere of course. When you listen to others you will gain a different perspective on things and be able to learn from their ideas. Don’t deprive yourself of this opportunity.

 

Using Mind Mapping To Develop Your Creativity

There are quite a number of tools available that will help you to develop your creativity but mind mapping is one of the easiest to learn and use. You will find that a lot of people with high levels of creative intelligence use mind maps all of the time because it really helps them to come up with those precious creative ideas.

 

One of the reasons that mind mapping works so well for the stimulation of creative ideas is because it is a visual tool. Your mind is able to process things a lot better with visuals so you need to take advantage of this.

 

Mind Mapping is easy

 

There is nothing difficult about mind mapping. All that you are doing is creating a picture with the thoughts that are in your head about a problem that you want to solve. You will find a lot of resources online that explain the concept of mind mapping and how to do it.

 

One of the best ways to learn mind mapping is through watching videos. YouTube is your friend here as there are many videos available on the subject of mind mapping. With these videos you can watch someone create a mind map from scratch and easily pick up on what they are doing.

 

You can Draw or use Software

 

In its simplest form, you can create a mind map with a pencil and a piece of paper. We recommend that you use a large sheet of paper as it is very easy to run out of space when you are drawing your mind map. You also need to leave some room for expanding your mind map as new thoughts come to mind.

 

There are many software tools that you can use to create mind maps if you prefer to use a computer to create one. Some of the premium mind mapping tools are very expensive as they have many bells and whistles. You do not need this to get started with mind mapping. Go for a free program such as Free Mind as it will do everything that you need.

 

How does Mind Mapping Work?

 

When you create a mind map you record your thoughts in one place. It is different to writing them all down as you want to use keywords or short phrases to represent your thoughts rather than long sentences.

 

You will start a mind map by adding your main goal to the center of the map. Always have a goal such as a problem that you need to solve. Then you create different branches from this which contain the different aspects of the problem or goal.

 

These branches are all linked to the central goal and you can have different tiers of branches. Anything that connects directly to the central goal is a tier one branch. Each tier one branch can have tier two branches and so on. 

 

Main Advantage of Mind Mapping

 

After you have added all of your initial thoughts about a problem that you want to solve to a mind map you have a very powerful visual aid that will help you to generate more thoughts. It is easy to see the “big picture” with a mind map as it is all there in one drawing. If you try to remember all of these thoughts you are very likely to forget some of them.

 

What Really Is Creative Intelligence?

You may have heard the term “creative intelligence” before and never really knew what it meant. Well, in this article we will answer this and tell you about the 5 most common traits that people with creative intelligence have.

 

Creative Intelligence Definition

 

The truth is that there are a number of definitions about creative intelligence. It is vital that you understand that it is really about the mindset that you have and it is not some kind of method that you employ. When a person has creative intelligence, they see things in a different way to others.

 

Creative people are able to come up with new ideas and new ways of thinking. They are not constrained to mainstream thinking as most of the population are. A creative person will look at a situation and interpret it in a different way. 

 

Creativity is not just Imagination

 

While it is true to say that people with creative intelligence have a more powerful imagination than those that don’t, it is not all about being imaginative. A creative individual will have a different perception on things and will trust their intuition to come up with solutions to problems.

 

A creative person is always more curious than other people and they use their curiosity to innovate. They have resources at the subconscious level that they can call upon when they want to generate creative ideas and be innovative. Most people that have a high level of creative intelligence have the following five traits:

 

They Look beyond the Norm

 

Society tries to mold us into thinking in a certain way. A person that is creative refuses to be drawn in to this kind of thinking and will look for alternatives. They are not satisfied with the answers provided by the “status quo” and prefer to generate more diverse ideas.

 

Being more creative means moving away from the norm and this can be difficult as other people find this difficult to accept. You must get past this if you want to be more creative and learn to go your own way.

 

They Look beyond their own Knowledge

 

If someone has been doing something the same way for years it doesn’t mean that this is the only way, or indeed the best way, to do it. Creative individuals are prepared to look beyond the knowledge that they have and use their powers of curiosity here. They will never accept the adage of if something is not broken it doesn’t need fixing.

 

They Thrive on Ambiguity

 

Most people will do all that they can to avoid an ambiguous situation because it can be very stressful for them. The creative person deliberately looks for ambiguity because they know that it will provide them with a chance to be innovative. They are comfortable dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity.

 

They are willing to Experiment

 

Not every new creative idea is going to stack up so the person with high creative intelligence is willing to take more risks and experiment. Their intuition tells them that an idea is good but they will still test it through experimentation.

 

They are prepared to Mix it Up

 

Creative people know that they can generate the best ideas when they are not faced with the same routines all of the time. They are very willing to immerse themselves in situations which they are not at all familiar with. 

 

Make Brainstorming And Lateral Thinking Your Creative Friends

Once you have mastered the basics it is time for you to use more advanced creativity tools. Two of the best tools that you can use are brainstorming and lateral thinking. Brainstorming is definitely the easier of the two, but we encourage you to explore both of these tools to really give your creativity a boost.

 

What is Brainstorming?

 

It is likely that you have heard of brainstorming before. Many creative people use brainstorming as it helps them to collate all of their ideas for solving a problem and generate new ones that are creative. The concept of brainstorming is really simple to grasp.

 

You can use the brainstorming technique on your own or in collaboration with others. It is a good idea to do both. What you will do is to write down every single idea that you come up with without passing any judgment on any of the ideas.

 

The easiest way to perform brainstorming is to use large sheets of paper. You can then capture all of the ideas that you come up with on paper. After you have finished brainstorming, you can then evaluate all of the ideas and look to group them together if this is possible.

 

Like you do with mind mapping, you need to start off by writing your goal or defining the problem that you want to solve in the most succinct way. Then you just let your mind run free and just write down every idea you can think of.

 

Brainstorming in teams has always been a good bay to generate creative ideas. It is always good for you to get the perspective of other people and listen to the ideas that they have. Nowadays, a lot of brainstorming sessions are happening through video conferencing which is fine. As long as someone is responsible for recording the ideas and displaying them it will work.

 

There is a load of information about brainstorming online so you have no excuse. Be sure to use this excellent technique to help you generate more creative ideas.

 

How about Lateral Thinking?

 

Lateral thinking is tougher to master than brainstorming but it can be a lot more powerful when it comes to generating great creative thoughts. With lateral thinking you will be challenging the obvious. You will look at the perception behind the current way of thinking and come up with different approaches.

 

We all tend to think about things based on logic or our experience. This causes us to generate automatic responses when we are thinking about a problem. Lateral thinking forces you to break these automatic responses so that you can come up with different ideas.

 

There are four processes with lateral thinking that you need to learn and practice. The first of these is idea generation which is designed to help you break away from traditional thinking. Process number two is called “focus” and the concept here is that you will open up your mind to various other possibilities.

 

The third process in lateral thinking is harvesting and you use this to evaluate all of your ideas so far. Finally, there is the “treatment” process where you look to see if any of your ideas will be a good fit for the real world.

 

Take the time to learn and master brainstorming and lateral thinking as these are great tools which will help you to generate a lot of creative ideas.

 

Simple Ways To Boost Your Creativity

When you want to give your creative intelligence a boost it is a mistake to just dive in and use advanced creativity techniques as your brain has not had to come up with creative ideas for a long time. It is better to do some of the simpler things first.

 

If you try to do too much when you are just starting out with developing your creativity then you are likely to find the going very tough and this can really test your staying power. Having got really excited about the prospect of being more creative, you do not want to give up in the early stages because you have approached things in the wrong way.

 

With this in mind, we will share with you some of the simplest things that you can do to get started on your journey to developing your creativity. There is nothing difficult about any of these things and you can implement them easily.

 

See your Creativity as a Muscle

 

The development of your creativity will happen a lot faster if you take consistent action on a regular basis. It is a good idea to see your creativity as a muscle that you need to exercise on a regular basis to make it fit and strong.

 

Research has shown that people who did not believe that they had any creativity were able to come up with some creative ideas when they tried to do this. The moral of this story is that the more you use your creativity the better that you will become at it.

 

You have connections in your brain between various cells and when you learn new things and generate new ideas it is likely that you will create new connections. By using your creativity, you will also strengthen the existing connections that you have.

 

Change up your Surroundings

 

If you always go to the same place for your creative sessions then this can hamper your chances of generating creative ideas. Sitting at the same office at work or in the same room at home means that you will be looking at the same things all of the time which is not good.

 

Make some small changes to your surroundings so that you see something different when you are being creative. Move your furniture around or just reorganize your office desk. Using a different room in your home is also a good idea to bring fresh inspiration.

 

Learn New Things

 

There are a lot of good reasons why you should focus on a subject and become an expert in it. We also recommend that you learn new things as well. When you have knowledge of additional subjects you are going to give your creative intelligence a boost.

 

It doesn’t matter what subjects you choose to learn about. Just believe that this will help to develop your creativity and get on with it. With the Internet, there is no excuse for not learning new things. Trust that this works because it does.

 

Give yourself New Challenges

 

If you keep doing the same things all of the time then you are not going to help your creativity. Find new challenges that you can participate in that will test your creative powers. A good example of this is a game where you need to solve puzzles to move forward. There are plenty of these available online.

Your Creative Mindset And Habits

If you want to develop your creativity then you need to start with a creative mindset. This is easier to do than you may think and, in this article, we will explain what you need to do. When you have a creative mindset, you will form new habits that will help you to boost your creative intelligence.

 

Our habits define who we are and what we do. If your current habits do not support creativity then you will find that being creative is very difficult for you. You are not going to become more creative overnight. There is no miracle solution for this.

 

Negativity is the Enemy of Creativity

 

Having a lot of negative thoughts swirling around in your head is going to totally stifle your creativity. You will not be able to focus on generating innovative ideas because your focus will be dominated by the negativity in your mind. You must learn to neutralize negative thoughts as they are the enemy of creativity.

 

Minimizing the amount of negativity in your life is your aim here. We all experience negative thoughts and whenever these occur in your head then you need to neutralize them with a positive thought. If you are finding it tough to solve a problem and a thought occurs like “you will never solve this” neutralize this with “I can solve any problem”.

 

With a bit of practice and effort you will find it increasingly easy to neutralize negative thoughts. No longer will they dominate your mind and block your creative thoughts. It will take a bit of time to get into the habit of doing this but it is essential that you do it and have a positive mindset rather than a negative one.

 

Be more Patient

 

Patience is a word that seems to be lost in today’s fast-paced world. Everybody is looking for instant answers and they are not prepared to wait for anything. You can blame a lot of this on the Internet and the ability to find most of the answers that you need in seconds.

 

The problem here is that you can never rush creativity. Even when you have developed your creative intelligence it can still take quite a while for the right creative idea to come along. You need to be patient enough to wait for this to happen.

 

If you do not have a lot of patience right now then you need to work on this. Forget about instant answers when it comes to creativity. It doesn’t matter that you can get factual answers to questions using Google in seconds. Creativity is very different.

 

Ambiguity is your Friend

 

Another mindset area that you need to develop is the embracing of ambiguity. Most people do not like ambiguity and prefer certainty. But the world is not like that. There are usually more ambiguous situations than certain ones.

 

Creative people like ambiguity because it provides them with the opportunity to come up with novel ideas. There are always going to be situations where you do not have all of the facts or are missing some important information. See this as an opportunity rather than a problem.

 

Set aside Time for Creativity

 

The more that you can practice your creativity the better you will get at it. In order to make this a reality, plan for creative time on a regular basis and make sure that you don’t miss any creative sessions.