"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival!" - W. Edwards Deming (1900 - 1993)

I challenge you to find a more appropriate quote for the modern age. In an age where everything is constantly changing, you had better be constantly learning.

Just for a moment, pretend you have just graduated today with a technology degree (networking, telecommunications, web design, programming, etc.) You have mastered every subject in your field. You are competent in all the skills that are in demand in the job market today.

In all likelihood, you will have no problem finding employment.

However, if you don’t continue to learn you will soon find yourself obsolete. Technology changes constantly and you had better be prepared to keep up by constantly learning.

Don’t think this only applies to the technology arena! Regardless of your field of endeavor, there is always something new to be learned and mastered. There are always new ideas, new theories, and new approaches to the current problems in life. If you aren’t out there making any attempt to keep up, you will soon find your knowledge and skills obsolete and your survival threatened.

Brian Tracy, a leading authority on personal effectiveness, says that you should devote at least 3% of your income to continuous learning regardless of your occupation. Personally, I’m a big fan of audio books. I have learned about time management, giving presentations, goal setting, and “read” several best sellers while in my car. It may take me two months to get through an audio book, but its still better than not reading the book at all!

For what its worth, think of it this way - learning equals survival