Stop Making Excuses About Learning

Top 6 Ways to Continue Learning in the Real World

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – W.B. Yeats

You would think what I’m about to say is common sense and practice. However, I’m sad to admit it’s not.

A startling number of American adults do not read a single book in a year. The last reported figure was over 25%, and it’s on the rise. When you compare that rate to other countries like India and China, again the results are startling.

Too often, we get sucked into everyday life, work, family, friends, etc, and learning takes a back seat. “But I read the news today,” you exclaim! “And I learned a new Excel formula at work!”

Yes, I guess by the mechanical definition you might’ve learned something new. That said, what makes learning so powerful is not just the new information but the discipline that goes into acquiring it.

Fortunately for us, books are no longer the only way to continue learning after school ends. To serve as a simple reminder to myself and my friends, I decided to create a list this week of some of my favorite educational resources.

I’d love to hear your favorites as well, so please shoot them over to me at grow@puente.co, and I’ll include your feedback in a future post.

1) Observation — No matter if you’re visiting a foreign country or trying to become an executive at your company, observation followed by reflection is the single best way to learn about the world around you. It’s no secret that much of who you are is subconsciously determined by the people around you.

I highly recommend doing some research on journaling frameworks to see which approach might be best for you.

2) Conversation — There’s a big difference between mindless talking and valuable conversation. In this vein, I’ve never much cared for the word “mentor.” People throw it around like some sort of a trophy when in reality, a mentor is nothing without a mutual exchange of ideas.

There is a subtle art to asking good questions. Next time you’re meeting with someone you want to learn from, listen to how some of the best interviewers in the world (think Larry King, Oprah Winfrey, Jimmy Fallon, Erin Burnett, Tim Ferriss, etc.) guide conversation and pull golden insights out of the people they’re with.

3) Action — Want to learn how to surf, take photographs, hang glide, throw pottery, ride horses, swim, speak Mandarin, play FarmVille, etc?

Get out there, and go do it.

4) Books (or Audiobooks) — Here are just a few of my favorite books that might inspire your own reading.

Steve Jobs – Walter Isaacson
Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Lone Survivor – Marcus Luttrell
The Power of Habit – Charles Duhigg

5) Podcasts — Podcasts are great because they don’t interrupt your daily life. You can listen in the car, on the train, while running, and more.

The Tim Ferriss Show – https://tim.blog/podcast/
The Tony Robbins Podcast – https://www.tonyrobbins.com/podcasts/
Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman – https://mastersofscale.com/
Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel – https://www.estherperel.com/podcast
TED Radio Hour – http://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/

6) Videos — As many of you know, I love YouTube videos. Hands down, my all-time favorite is Casey Neistat’s channel. While not educational in the traditional sense, you can learn so much by observing how Casey approaches his life and work.