Looking at the modern media over the last century, one may notice a character archetype permeating through movies, shows, books, etc. Most notably, one could mention Gandalf, Dumbledore, Obi-wan Kenobi, Yoda, and many more.
The main thing in common, apart from being old, is that they are wise and educated people. They are meant to inspire us to go on a life-long quest of learning. After all, we are designated as “Homo Sapiens” or wise people, and our ability to educate ourselves differentiates us from less successful species.
1. Knowledge Opens up New Career Paths
Whether a teacher or a CEO, continually educating yourself throughout your career is essential. It keeps your qualifications fresh and allows you to branch out into other careers.
While being a back-end developer, for example, is a financially lucrative job, some people might find it tedious and unfulfilling. But if people continue their education while they work, they’ll be able to switch careers easily.
Not only do you have an easier time switching careers, but you can also use your previous job as an educational experience. One must remember that no matter how strict your career path seems, you can change it by continuing your education.
2. Knowledge Gives Us Fresh Economic Opportunities
While career change is quite a radical move, continuous education can support you in smaller endeavors. If you still desire to work in your current position, additional education may provide a setup for a pay raise or even a promotion.
Supervisors respect their “busy bees,” no matter what career you choose, but they admire the “ambitious ants” even more. By attending additional seminars and educating yourself further about the business, you’re showing your employers that you care about the job you’re performing.
Not only do you gain knowledge that could be useful in higher positions, but you’re also showing off your ambition. There’s nothing wrong with just doing your job and going home afterward, but that may be projected as disinterest. And if you do get lucky and land a promotion, you might find yourself woefully underequipped.
3. Education Provides a Boost in Our Climb on the Social Ladder
Being smarter provides many more opportunities to climb the social ladder. And continuous education gives you the means to gain knowledge. While you don’t necessarily need to be a genius to climb the social ladder, it makes the job easier.
Not everyone needs to climb the social ladder, as some are perfectly content with their social circle. But as your ambitions grow, having some friends at high places would certainly help out your career.
4. Nothing in Education Is a Waste
Knowledge, and education in general, are those aspects of human life that are incredibly efficient. No matter what you learn, you could still apply it somehow somewhere. There’s never waste in education. In school, many kids find certain classes and subjects to be wasted, but that’s because they lack perspective.
Even the most foolish fact you’ve seen on YouTube could help your career. It could help you as it’s related to your job or simply as a social talking point through which you create better connections in your company. To put it simply, even fun facts can be useful.
5. Life-Long Education Is Efficient
Unlike the rigid curriculum we receive in schools, lifelong continuous education is completely flexible and caters to your needs. This is incredibly beneficial if you’re trying to work and learn simultaneously, as you can put education as your secondary priority.
Usually, in college or high school, your education was priority number one (as it should be, mind you). But that meant your career and economic growth had to be on the back burner.
After all, no company can take an employee who disappears during exam season. But after you start your career, you can pace your education however you like and with whatever topics you like.
6. Educating Yourself May Provide Opportunities for New Adventures
If you attend seminars connected to your career, your company might notice you and decide that you’re the perfect person to send abroad for conventions. These conventions, meetings, seminars, etc., have a snowball effect that keeps you from adventuring around the world.
Or, if you prefer a more “freeing” option, continuous education may enable you to start working online, detaching you from the constraints of the office.
7. Learning Is Fun
And in the end, learning is simply fun. There’s no greater benefit to activity than plain old fun. Therefore being able to educate yourself and have fun in the meantime is the perfect combination. Yes, some forms of education are a bit duller than others, but if you choose subjects you truly enjoy, nothing will be able to stand in your path.
As philosophers of the past, Sir Francis Bacon and Thomas Hobbes, to be specific, have noted “Scientia potentia est.” Knowledge is power. It allows us to evolve, grow, and reach our true potential. This is equally applicable to our personal lives as well as our careers. Therefore if the opportunity to learn presents itself, make sure to take it.