This is the most important skill that will take your career to the next level

This is the most important skill that will take your career to the next levelThis is the most important skill that will take your career to the next levelThe world of work is changing rapidly.Today we work in a knowledge-based world. And your collective knowledge about your yourself and your industry are the key to your future.As time passes, it becomes even more apparent that knowledge begets knowledge, and new competencies drive careers forward.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreYou may bedrngnis realize it, but your skills, knowledge, and competency (past, present) are either helping you advance your career or hindering your progress in life.Learnability (the desire and capability to develop in-demand skills) makes you indispensableThe illiterate of the 21st century will elend be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn. Alvin TofflerWhen was the bebelastungung time you read something from an unusual perspective in your industry?When have you taken the time to wrap your head around a new industry?Change is constant in todays workplace.To keep up, you need to keep learning. Learning drives adaptability.Most people know this, but its often easier said than done.Between deadlines, meetings, family life and everything else in between, there isnt much time for a career-boosting class but you can change that.As long as you are ready to take responsibility for your career.No matter where you are on the career ladder, its important to continue learning and develop new skills.Its the only way to survive in the 21st century.Brian Tracy once said, Those people who develop the ability to continuously acquire new and better forms of knowledge that they can apply to their work and to their lives will be the movers and shakers in our society for the indefinite future.He is right The ability to acquire better forms of knowledge and apply it when necessary will make you great at what you do.Investing in learning new skills is essential to stay relevant in a changing landscape as the economy evolves and technology improves.Embrace careerlearningThe more you learn, the more you earn. - Warren BuffettLearning helps you become more open to change. Learning new skills should not be a source of fear and stress.You can make time to improve yourself and get better at what you do.When people embrace lifelong learning, it becomes another part of their career journey.A learning mindplatzdeckchen makes it less likely youll be thrown off when a project changes, your employer changes growth strategy, or when a job function undergoes transformation.While others scramble to figure out where to go from here, lifelong learners maintain momentum and productivity even in the face of radical change at work.Personal career development is fulfilling.A continuous learning process will both stimulate and empower you as you acquire the relevant knowledge, values, skills, and understanding you will need throughout your lifetime.A learning mindplatzdeckchen means you can freely move between tasks, jobs, regions, and countries. Its the one skill that can take all of your other skills to the next level.And guess what, the ability to learn and adapt in any work environment will be there for you at every stage of your career, no matter what else changes in our unpredictable world.Short-term and long-term learninggoalsAnyone who isnt embarrassed of who they were last year probably isnt learning enough. - Alain de BottonTime is finite.We only get the next hour once, and then its gone forever. So choices about how we spend or invest our time come with real opportunity costs.Think about the skills and knowledge you need to stay current now and prepare for the future.You dont have to learn every skill at once but you owe it to yourself to be the best you can be.To be an effective learner, any skill you choose to learn shou ld fit into the bigger picture of your life and work - your career path.Learning can help you meet immediate or future needs.If you intend to improve your skills in the next three or six months, you can get feedback from your employer about your skills that may need upgrading.Other clues like tasks you tend to avoid or struggle with because of knowledge or skills you dont have can help you choose what to focus on now or in the future.You can also focus on the big picture, define your career path and choose the skills you need to get to your ultimate career goal.This can help you develop new skills that will be useful beyond your current position. If you want to pursue a specific management role, find resources to help you build the skills you need to prepare yourself for the future.You can even find a mentor and talk about your learning goals and what to focus on to advance your career.Whats your learningstyle?Do you learn best on your own or in a group? Do you prefer audio, video or a combination of both?Are you a hands-on learner?Depending on your current circumstances, you can pick the opportunities that suit your learning style including hands-on workshops, or video-based course if your learning style is visual.In the abundance-based economy of online learning, opportunities are endless. You can learn on your own, at work, from mentors or role models.You can also learn online following blogs, downloading podcasts, taking a class, etc. Or through magazines, journals, seminars, videos, and broadcasts. And you can also learn by attending classes at an educational institution, in person or online.All kinds of learning opportunities are just a click or a conversation away.Create an action plan and pursue learning like your career depends on it. State your goals, timelines and resources you need to achieve every goal.And then set up a series of steps to start you on your way to a successful learning experience.Final thoughtsWhether youre considering changing jo bs, applying for a promotion or starting a new career, upgrading your skills changes everything.Learning is an investment that usually pays for itself in increased earnings.No matter what level of education you have, if you want to succeed, you need to keep on learning.More than ever, learning is for life if you want to stay relevant, indispensable and thrive in the changing world of work.Tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it todayThis article first appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong peopleThis is the most important skill that will take your career to the next levelThe world of work is changing rapidly.Today we work in a knowledge-based world. And your collec tive knowledge about your yourself and your industry are the key to your future.As time passes, it becomes even more apparent that knowledge begets knowledge, and new competencies drive careers forward.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreYou may not realize it, but your skills, knowledge, and competency (past, present) are either helping you advance your career or hindering your progress in life.Learnability (the desire and capability to develop in-demand skills) makes you indispensableThe illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn. Alvin TofflerWhen was the last time you read something from an unusual perspective in your industry?When have you taken the time to wrap your head around a new industry?Change is constant in todays workplace.To keep up, you need to keep learning. Learning drives adaptabilit y.Most people know this, but its often easier said than done.Between deadlines, meetings, family life and everything else in between, there isnt much time for a career-boosting class but you can change that.As long as you are ready to take responsibility for your career.No matter where you are on the career ladder, its important to continue learning and develop new skills.Its the only way to survive in the 21st century.Brian Tracy once said, Those people who develop the ability to continuously acquire new and better forms of knowledge that they can apply to their work and to their lives will be the movers and shakers in our society for the indefinite future.He is right The ability to acquire better forms of knowledge and apply it when necessary will make you great at what you do.Investing in learning new skills is essential to stay relevant in a changing landscape as the economy evolves and technology improves.Embrace careerlearningThe more you learn, the more you earn. - Warren Bu ffettLearning helps you become more open to change. Learning new skills should not be a source of fear and stress.You can make time to improve yourself and get better at what you do.When people embrace lifelong learning, it becomes another part of their career journey.A learning mindset makes it less likely youll be thrown off when a project changes, your employer changes growth strategy, or when a job function undergoes transformation.While others scramble to figure out where to go from here, lifelong learners maintain momentum and productivity even in the face of radical change at work.Personal career development is fulfilling.A continuous learning process will both stimulate and empower you as you acquire the relevant knowledge, values, skills, and understanding you will need throughout your lifetime.A learning mindset means you can freely move between tasks, jobs, regions, and countries. Its the one skill that can take all of your other skills to the next level.And guess what, t he ability to learn and adapt in any work environment will be there for you at every stage of your career, no matter what else changes in our unpredictable world.Short-term and long-term learninggoalsAnyone who isnt embarrassed of who they were last year probably isnt learning enough. - Alain de BottonTime is finite.We only get the next hour once, and then its gone forever. So choices about how we spend or invest our time come with real opportunity costs.Think about the skills and knowledge you need to stay current now and prepare for the future.You dont have to learn every skill at once but you owe it to yourself to be the best you can be.To be an effective learner, any skill you choose to learn should fit into the bigger picture of your life and work - your career path.Learning can help you meet immediate or future needs.If you intend to improve your skills in the next three or six months, you can get feedback from your employer about your skills that may need upgrading.Other cl ues like tasks you tend to avoid or struggle with because of knowledge or skills you dont have can help you choose what to focus on now or in the future.You can also focus on the big picture, define your career path and choose the skills you need to get to your ultimate career goal.This can help you develop new skills that will be useful beyond your current position. If you want to pursue a specific management role, find resources to help you build the skills you need to prepare yourself for the future.You can even find a mentor and talk about your learning goals and what to focus on to advance your career.Whats your learningstyle?Do you learn best on your own or in a group? Do you prefer audio, video or a combination of both?Are you a hands-on learner?Depending on your current circumstances, you can pick the opportunities that suit your learning style including hands-on workshops, or video-based course if your learning style is visual.In the abundance-based economy of online learni ng, opportunities are endless. You can learn on your own, at work, from mentors or role models.You can also learn online following blogs, downloading podcasts, taking a class, etc. Or through magazines, journals, seminars, videos, and broadcasts. And you can also learn by attending classes at an educational institution, in person or online.All kinds of learning opportunities are just a click or a conversation away.Create an action plan and pursue learning like your career depends on it. State your goals, timelines and resources you need to achieve every goal.And then set up a series of steps to start you on your way to a successful learning experience.Final thoughtsWhether youre considering changing jobs, applying for a promotion or starting a new career, upgrading your skills changes everything.Learning is an investment that usually pays for itself in increased earnings.No matter what level of education you have, if you want to succeed, you need to keep on learning.More than ever, learning is for life if you want to stay relevant, indispensable and thrive in the changing world of work.Tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it todayThis article first appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people