Learning Investment
The importance of continuous learning cannot be overstated. With technology and industry evolving rapidly, it is essential to keep up with the latest trends and develop new skills. Let’s be realistic. We all want to be rewarded somehow (purpose and monetary). Otherwise, why go through the trouble to upskills, just to keep up with the trend?
This post is about this controvesial discovery about intentionally invest in learning for the personal growth. Why is it important? We all only have 24 hours a day, minus-off the time we rest and work, not much left. So, these are some of my thoughts to structure the thinking process and choosing a expertise that can help to set us apart.
Firstly, it is important to understand that developing expertise is only correlated in value. Just because you invest time and effort in mastering a particular skill or platform, it does not automatically translate into more money or job opportunities. Say example, knowing how to code in Javascript. To me that’s given. By mastering mean to be able to use that skills to add value to the development process or business.
Secondly, think about the population of certain specialists. Using Javascript again as example have a lot of supply in the market. It makes the expectation for being expert that much higher. Thus, being good at it doesn’t means guarantee the success in reward. (Think about the bell curve).
Instead, try to diversify your own skills, like compounding the learning in various kind of job and domains to find what is unique that you can solve better than everyone else. To choose the optimal skill to invest in, think about the space where you have a leading opinion. That’s your space, where you have the knowledge and expertise to offer unique value.
The biggest opportunity to do this is in your day-to-day work. Look for areas where you can add value and take ownership of projects or initiatives. Identify the gaps in your team’s skillset and take the initiative to fill those gaps. By doing so, you not only develop your expertise, but you also demonstrate your leadership and commitment to the team’s success.
When the stars are aligned, you will know it. Be intentional about learning and choosing the part to specialize in for your own growth. Look for opportunities such as finding synergy through your day-to-day task to challenge yourself and push out of your comfort zone.
Keep grinding…