Everything changed when I realized street smarts and luck only go so far.
My career and business have either stalled or gone sideways when I stopped learning or taken what I have learned for granted.
And learning doesn’t necessarily mean going to college. Education and learning have two different meanings. Just like street smarts versus book smarts have different meanings.
Research shows that a typical college education is obsolete before the loans are paid off. The “new” college curriculum is created usually during the fad portion of a trend. By the time it is tested, staffed, and rolled out, something new has taken its place.
So what are you supposed to do?
I think it is time for offer Continuing Education Units for business people.
For people that have a trade, such as in heating and ventilating, or as an electrician or plumber, CEUs are required to maintain their licensing. Even therapists, teachers, dentists, doctors, and lawyers, are required to have so many hours of additional training even when they are in the profession.
The purpose to requiring CEUs is to ensure that they are getting the latest standards, rules and regulations in a timely manner. But they rarely cover how to run your business.
When you go to vocational college, a four year college, law school or medical school, they never teach you about how to run a business. And most of the people in these professions, end up being soloprenuers, owners, or partners in businesses.
The activities and services of running a business have changed so much in just the last 5 years that you can’t rest on the knowledge you have from 5 years ago.
When you continually learn, you continually earn.
To ensure your ability to have a successful future, you need to dedicate time to learning as well as ensure that your people are doing some of the same.
So keep your business growing and be successful, by setting dedicated time aside each year, say 12 CEUs a year. You don’t have to turn in the CEUs to anyone but yourself. Make it your personal requirement.
The process of learning, the curiosity of learning, the application of learning is different than just taking a course. The best form of learning is to learn how to learn. Understand critical thinking and how to apply that to a problem at work or home or life.
When you and your people dedicate themselves to growth, the opportunities are endless.
Originally published in Medium - August 9, 2021