KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go. 

Dr. Seuss 

Knowledge is power; and the more of it we can gain, the better we will become at the tasks and projects we undertake. If I want to be an interior decorator, I only have to open a book on the topic to begin gaining invaluable knowledge. Perhaps finding a mentor is an option as well. However, the simple truth remains the same: knowledge will take me further in life. 

And the knowledge we gain does not have to be of great financial cost or value--a mother and housewife, for example, knows invaluable information about how to stop a baby from crying, that came at little to no cost to her other than time. Still, some of us may view the knowledge we have amassed as not that important when compared to the knowledge others possess... and this is understandable given that most of the individuals we see sharing their knowledge are quite popular and are usually making a lot of money. From the creator of that awesome new gadget you see in an infomercial, to the sports analysts and commentators we see on TV; the knowledge they share definitely seems to be more important when based upon financial value it brings in. 

But we should not get consumed in trying to chase financial value in our knowledge. We are all unique individuals, and have different needs and desires, skills and talents. And people need your advice everyday--there are many things that you know that others are not aware of each day. And there are things you have discovered that have made your more efficient and productive, that others have not yet. 

Learning is a powerful catalyst in our lives if we use it. Celebrate it, embrace it, love it, and share it with others. The easiest and most effective way to increase your potential is to learn. 

Today's Challenge: Spend some time learning about something today. 

Questions to consider:

Do you value your learning? What are some of your most valuable lessons, and how can they help others? 

Think of a great role model in your life. How has that person's learning affected their life? 

Why do we tend to feel that our learning is not as valuable as the learning that others have done? 

For further thought:

Place yourself among those who carry on their lives with passion, and true learning will take place, no matter how humble or exalted the setting. But no matter what path you follow, do not be ashamed of your learning. In some corner of your life, you know more about something than anyone else on earth. The true measure of your education is not what you know, but how you share what you know with others. 

Kent Nerburn