4 Easy Ways to Learn New Things

I don’t think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday. ~Abraham Lincoln

I’m severely addicted to learning new things.

I haven’t always been like this. As a young boy school stressed me out. This probably explains why it hasn’t been until the last 5 to 10 years that my desire to know more and more has nearly become an unquenchable thirst.

Some “friends” and I have begun to work on an extremely exciting project that has allowed me to learn about something I knew absolutely nothing about a year ago. I can’t say much more about this right now… but rest assured it’s going to be something special and you all will be the first to hear about it when the time is right.

It’s new projects like this that keep me awake until 3:00 AM in the morning. Heck, its things like blogging – which again I had no idea how to do (and am still obviously learning about) a few years ago – that has me reading, studying, learning, etc.

And while I know not everyone feels the need to constantly learn about new things I do feel it’s extremely beneficial to learn about something new every once in awhile.

Here are just a few ways I have succeeded at increasing my knowledge.

1. Read Blogs

I religiously follow 26 blogs using Google Reader. While I don’t read every new article word for word I’ve learned so much from the blogosphere.

2. Read Books and Trade Magazines

I read a lot of books. Lately I’ve been so busy with the aforementioned “project” that my reading has slowed as of late. But just sitting down with a good book has been an excellent method for me to learn more.

3. I Blog

I blog. Believe it or not, there is a tremendous amount of work involved in maintaining a blog. Once an idea has come up we bloggers still need to find the words to communicate it. And as any blogger will attest to… no one wants to make a blatant error in what they are writing about.

So, as you might imagine, a lot of research and study goes into most blog posts here on LSS Academy. And the fact that this is article number 366 tells me I’ve probably done more research for this blog than my entire time in graduate school.

4. Try and Fail

I try new things. While reading and writing are excellent learning techniques there really, in my opinion, is only one sure fire way to learn something and that’s to try, try, try.

You can read and research and plan ‘til the cows come home. But until you get up on the saddle and attempt to ride the bull you’ll never actually learn how to do it.

What About You?

I’m very curious to learn (hmmm, imagine that) how you go about sharpening your skills. Do you also like to read? Or do you have other techniques I’ve not listed above?

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