In Pursuit of Learning: The Seven Actions Series

There’s no debate, Albert Einstein was a smart guy. The renowned physicist’s resume includes a PhD from the University of Zurich, a 1921 Nobel Peace Prize, member Prussian Academy of Science, Time’s Person of the Century, and Gallup Polls’s fourth most admired person of the 20th century. Al also had a Peace Prize, chemical element, photochemistry unit and asteroid named after him. Oh yeah, then there’s that Theory of Relativity thing.

But education wasn’t always a breeze for the physic’s superstar. As a young child Einstein struggled because of early speech problems. He dropped out of high school and later failed a school entrance exam. Albert was a huge fan of learning, but no lover of rote education. He once wrote that strict, structured education was the enemy of creative thought and the spirit of learning. Einstein said, “Learning is not a product of schooling, but the lifelong attempt to acquire it.”

Learning is the continued pursuit of knowledge. Unfortunately, many of us stop seeking ways to learn after our formal education. It may be our arrogance that there is nothing more we can learn or ignorance about the benefits of lifelong learning. Actively searching for ways to increase our knowledge and abilities makes life more interesting and less challenging.

Lifelong learning is more than just a neat idea. It is vital to doing your best and achieving life goals. Learning is the fuel that moves us from where we are to where we want to be.

So look at your own life; where would you benefit from a little more learning? Is there a skill at work or a recreational talent that could use improvement? Maybe there’s something you just have an interest in and want to know more? So, take a class, rent an educational video or talk with an expert. There are multiple ways to learn.