Stay in School

  I want to tell you today about one of the most important characteristics you need to be successful in life.  If you want to really succeed, you must develop in yourself a hunger for knowledge and a passion for personal growth.  I sincerely believe that if you create in yourself a love of learning and growing, you can find victory in any situation life throws at you.  People who have a drive to learn and get better at life daily do not get brought down by their circumstances because they know that each difficulty in their lives can be overcome with the right set of knowledge and skills.
  So what do you do if you don't love to learn?  How can you begin to build this desire for knowledge in your life?  Start with a subject you have an interest in or an area of your life that you really want to change.  You will be more engrossed in this subject so it will be easier to build a habit of learning and growth in this area.  Secondly, even if it is not "fun" at first, begin by forcing yourself to be consistent.  Set a timer if you have to for a specific amount of minutes each day to read about your subject.  (I recommend starting with 10 to 20 depending on your level of interest and dedication.)
Find a speaker you enjoy listening to, and make a weekly or daily appointment with yourself to listen to a podcast or audio.  The more you make a habit of doing this, the more natural it will become.          Also, if there's an area you need to study for work or school that you aren't interested in, try doing five to ten minutes of focused time in this area followed by time doing something you really enjoy.  Like Pavlov's dog, you are training your brain to respond positively to a subject you aren't interested in because you know that something pleasant will follow.  Also, if you're a list person like me, try making yourself a list so you can check your reading off for the day.  Lastly, take time to plan learning and growth time into your week.  I can't overstate how important this is.  If you don't make it a priority, it will never happen.  If you need some help in planning your week, check out How To Have a Good Week.
  Start learning today, and make a habit of growing yourself personally.  Don't look back in five years and find out that you are in the same place, or in a worse place.  Begin today to make changes in your life through learning and personal growth.  I can't wait to see you become all you can be.

~K.W.