We call them know-it-alls, fancy pants, and maybe sometimes assholes. Don’t be those people.
I can’t think of one instance in which a person could know so much about a subject that they could never learn something new about that subject. It’s even possible for the most expert of experts to learn something from a novice.
Many successful people claim that they never stop learning. Learning means that you’re growing and progressing from where you are to a place of better understanding.
In your business, you may find it hard to find time to fit learning something new into your schedule, but it’s actually a lot easier than you might think. Let’s look at 9 easy ways you can learn something new.
- Read a blog.
If you’re here, then you know how much you can learn from reading a few good blog articles. I love reading through articles on Medium. You’ll find some great writers with a unique perspective, that you may have never considered before, on any subject under the sun. You’ll surely learn something new by reading a blog.
2. Listen to a podcast.
Shameless plug here — you should be listening to my podcast, Master Your Mission daily. You can find it on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play or any Alexa enabled device. There are also plenty of other great podcasts you can listen to in order to learn something new. Just head over to iTunes or Spotify and search keywords related to any subject you want to learn more about. You’ll be nicely surprised that there is a podcast for just about everything.
3. Read a book.
It’s said that a reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. That’s because books open you to a world of information. Whether you’re reading fiction or non-fiction on a subject you’re familiar with or not, reading a book is — and always will be — a great way to learn something new.
4. YouTube University.
I love YouTube University. In fact, I got my PhD in Every Damn Thing from there. YouTube is one of my favorite ways to learn new things. You can learn everything from how to write a business plan to how to run Facebook ads. There’s really probably not a subject that isn’t covered on YouTube, so check out videos there when you’re ready to learn something new and be ready to soak up knowledge.
5. Take a class.
Learn something new by taking a class. Many people think that taking a new class will take up too much of their time, but taking an online class allows you to work on the course work at your leisure. Check out the courses I offer by visiting my website here. Whether you decide to take a class online or in person, you’ll likely be exposing yourself to new information that will help you grow. Even if you’re well versed in the subject, there’s a good chance you’ll still learn something.
6. Join a webinar.
Have you ever been minding your business on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube and seen an ad for a free webinar? Have you ever thought about actually signing up? Now, these webinars are usually a way to get you into a funnel, but many of them actually offer good information that you can pull from to learn something new. I actually sat in on one this morning and learned a few things I didn’t know before. Next time you see the opportunity, join a webinar related to a subject you’re interested in. You’ll probably be glad you did.
7. Talk to an expert.
One of the easiest ways to learn something new is to talk to an expert on the subject. Most of the time, with a little prompting, an expert is willing to talk to you all day long about their field of expertise. Connect with an expert in a field you’d like to know more about, show some interest in their knowledge, and just converse with them. You’re almost guaranteed to learn something new from that person.
8. Try something new.
Try a new food or a new experience and see what that new thing can teach you. Maybe you won’t discover some grand philosophy about entrepreneurship by eating a new type of mushroom, but you may learn something you didn’t know before about yourself. Be open to trying new things. There’s always a lesson in that.
9. Attend a meetup.
Meet new people. New people means new perspectives, new opinions, and new experiences. Don’t be afraid to go to meetups and make new friends. You’ll learn things you didn’t know before from people you didn’t know before.