By Hannah Elauria
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin
Many of the Olives have set their New Year’s resolutions with one goal in mind: to learn more. In this day and age, things lose value quickly when a newer, better version comes out. But what about an investment in something that only gets better with time? That’s why knowledge is so important. Consistently learning throughout your career is single-handedly one of the best ways to invest in your future.
So what’s the best way to ensure your brain is getting the exercise it needs to learn effectively? For this, we turned to some of the most successful people in today’s time: Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk and Barack Obama. It turns out these icons spend most of their free time learning. Michael Simmons, founder of Empact, coined the term, “The Five Hour Rule.” The concept is pretty straightforward: set aside at least an hour per day (or five hours per week) for activities based on deliberate learning. This can be done in many different ways:
- Reading. This is one incredible way to increase your knowledge value. In fact, former President Barack Obama says that books were what got him through his presidency — it gave him insight, inspiration and different perspectives on the human condition. Try bringing a book with you everywhere you go and set a goal for yourself. Whether that’s a chapter a day or a book per week, make it an attainable one.
- Reflecting. As important as it is to absorb information, it’s also significant to know when and how to reflect on those experiences. This can be done in the form of journaling, or simply thinking. CEO of LinkedIn, Jeff Weiner, sets aside around two hours per day just to think, claiming this to be the “single most important productivity tool [he] use[s].”
- Experimentation. Your creativity can be elevated through experimenting. Set aside time in your week to experiment with new ideas or theories. Thomas Edison and Benjamin Franklin dove into risky experiments and came out the other side with incredible inventions we all know today. That being said, your next great idea is waiting for you!
Try to think of this learning experience as an exercise at the gym; get those knowledge gains and ultimately invest in your future! Do you want to learn, reflect and experiment on how to grow your brand? Shoot us an email at info@olivecreativestrategies.com and we’d be happy to help!