This article was written by Lindsey Wells, Hyport Digital Content Writer.
“In times of change, learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”
These wise words from Eric Hoffer reflect the transformational power of self-education in a constantly changing world.
I recently heard that quote for the first time during a LinkedIn Learning course on personal and professional development.
Self-Education = Success
My interpretation of the above quote by Hoffer is this: Change is inevitable; it will happen, whether or not you’re ready for it. Those who continue to seek new learning and self-improvement opportunities will grow and develop with the world.
Meanwhile, those who remain stagnant and choose not to discover and learn new things will be left behind with a set of skills only suitable for a world no longer in existence.
And this applies to both personal and professional growth. I rediscovered the importance of self-education, adaptability, and open-mindedness when I became a first-time mother at age 30.
As a parent, I’m much different today at age 34 than I was in my early twenties. I’ve learned (and unlearned) so much from parenting my daughter.
On a professional level, being eager to learn has allowed me to pivot as needed in the rapidly evolving world of digital marketing.
Self-education is vital to stay on top of your game and ahead of the competition, especially in an industry like ours.
So, midway through the holiday season in late November 2022, as work slowed and I found myself with more free time during working hours, I dug into the treasure trove of content on the LinkedIn Learning platform.
Next year (2024) will mark my 10th year as a professional writer. I’ve completed more than my share of online courses on other learning platforms throughout my career.
Some of them were fantastic. A few of them were decent. Most of them, however, were enormous time-wasters.
Even so, I’ve always wanted to better myself using every resource I can find.
What I discovered on the LinkedIn Learning platform was not only an up-to-date library of learning resources but an entire learning ecosystem serving a wide variety of people and learning styles.
Learning On-Demand
The first course I completed on LinkedIn Learning was titled Editing and Proofreading Made Simple. While the 39-minute course was geared toward newcomers in the editing and proofreading world, the insightfulness and watchability of the content pleasantly surprised me.
The information was easy to digest, and the presenter’s skills made the course enjoyable – a welcome change from some of the online courses I’d taken previously.
As I continued exploring and tapping into LinkedIn’s massive catalog, I began gravitating toward self-development courses aimed at focusing on your personal life to maximize your professional life.
One such course was Scott Mautz’s Sunday Habits For a Better Work Week. Studies show more than 80% of employees experience the “Sunday Scaries,” that feeling of dread that filters in as you realize the weekend is over and another work week is about to kick in.
In this course, the instructor suggests habits to implement into your Sunday routine at home to make the upcoming work week more productive and successful.
Other courses and learning paths I’ve found beneficial include those related to time management (Dan Crenshaw’s Finding Your Time Management Style), work / life balance (Melinda Emerson’s Working From Home: Strategies for Success), and mindfulness (Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield’s Mindfulness At Work: The Basics).
Setting Yourself Up For Success
While I didn’t begin my LinkedIn Learning journey with any specific learning goals, I developed a few habits and tricks that helped me get the most out of my learning experience.
I find it helpful to block out time in my calendar dedicated to learning each week. To minimize distractions, I “snooze” Slack notifications on my work laptop and leave my cell phone in another room to make it easier to resist the temptation to look at it.
I also downloaded the LinkedIn Learning mobile and tablet apps to take the platform with me on the go. I enjoy listening to short audio courses in the car while driving to and from daycare with my 4-year-old.
LinkedIn remembers your progress on each device so you can pick up where you left off, no matter where or how you log in.
Lastly, I’ve discovered that finding the right content plays a huge role in your LinkedIn Learning experience. The search bar became my best friend, as it’s great for quickly finding the perfect course for your particular goals.
Courses with common words and phrases are pre-populated, so you can start typing, and the intelligent search bar will show you all of your options.
After two months of getting acquainted with LinkedIn Learning, here’s my honest review: No other online platform is better suited to helping people develop their professional skills than LinkedIn.
This platform is all about helping people create and take full advantage of professional and personal development opportunities.
With unlimited access to learning material produced by specialists in their respective fields, self-education and development have never been easier!
