Be a Continuous Learner

I hate to break it to you, but learning does not stop after you graduate from college.

A study done by PewResearch in 2018 stated that the average American reads 12 books a year (let's say a book a month), but those that read above the median were classified in the higher income brackets. This begs the question- do people who earn more money read more, or are they earning more money as a result of reading more...

I believe the latter is true and here's why: The pursuit and acquisition of knowledge places you on the cutting edge. Not only are you expanding your mind to new ideas, different perspectives, and training it to retain information, you are also exploring ideas whilst forming your own viewpoints and opinions about various topics. If you are not constantly seeking knowledge you remain stagnant.

Bill Gates (Net-worth: $78-billion) states that

"Reading is still the main way that I both learn new things and test my understanding." (BusinessInsider)

He reads 50 books a year. Warren Buffet (Net-worth: $89.9 billion) spends 5-6 hours per day reading. And Oprah Winfrey (Net-worth: $2.6 billion) credits much of her success to reading. See the commonality?

The world is changing so rapidly, and the access to information ever so vast. Success (however you choose to define it) requires you to be constantly learning, evaluating, allowing your mind to process new ideas, and innovating.

I have a new found love for books. Actual, printed books. Being able to hold a book, use a colorful bookmark, flip through the pages and go back to re-read certain sections is joy for me. But maybe reading books is not your thing. There are various other ways to gain knowledge: e-books, podcasts, audio-books, TedTalks, YouTube videos, even newspapers! The list is endless. Attend workshops, conferences that offer valuable information, and learn from the greats. Do not let a day go by where you don't learn something new.

College might be the end of a 4-year learning journey. But it is simply the beginning of a lifelong pursuit of knowledge.