The philosophy of lifelong learning has received increasing attention in recent years. Only a decade ago, the phrase was little more than a corporate buzzword that was poorly understood and unlikely to be fully implemented in work or personal life. However, today, in 2023, millions of people are fully aware of what the term means and how to implement lifelong learning into their daily lives.
Lifelong learning is the ability to constantly search out new forms of knowledge and to regularly educate yourself on a wide range of topics or interest areas. There are a variety of reasons why subscribing to this philosophy is so important. In this article, some of the key reasons will be discussed, with information on how lifelong learning can be of benefit to you.
Personal and career development
Many people seek to improve their career prospects to allow them to benefit from improved salaries and more challenging or interesting job roles. By subscribing to lifelong learning, you will be able to demonstrate to your employer that you are increasing your skills and knowledge in various areas.
When a senior position is advertised in any firm, the employer or recruiter will want to see evidence of continued professional development. In this situation, they will be looking for an indication that ongoing training and earning activities have taken place.
Subscribing to the philosophy of lifelong learning is a vital way to improve your career prospects and will help you gain more senior roles throughout your career. Lifelong learning also benefits your personal development. You are effectively growing as a person by learning new skills and absorbing new knowledge. The experience of learning in new areas can allow you to enjoy new pastimes or build a new social circle with people who share these interests.
Stay informed on new topics
Lifelong learning allows you to understand what is currently happening in the world and benefit from learning about the latest developments in a wide range of subject areas. For example, in recent years, the laws on prescribing cannabis for medicinal usage has changed. The subject of cannabis education is a fascinating and often controversial one, and it can be interesting to stay abreast of the current developments in this subject area.
At present, the drug is still illegal in many countries, including the UK, but certain sections of the population who have a medical need for this naturally occurring plant may be able to use it legally in specific circumstances when certain requirements have been met. Lifelong learning allows individuals to benefit from the latest knowledge and changes in laws or practices that may profoundly affect modern life. Put simply, it can be an intellectually stimulating journey to improve your general knowledge of emerging topics.
Improved cognitive health
As a brief final point, lifelong learning has been demonstrated to improve your cognitive health. By absorbing new information and fully understanding key concepts of different subject areas, a person’s critical thinking skills can be developed. In addition, logic, reasoning, and general knowledge are all improved. Learning keeps the mind active, and by committing to lifelong learning, you will be taking a valuable step to keeping your mind in peak condition throughout your life.
