10 ways lifelong learning will benefit your personal success

Continuous learning will affect both your professional and private life. (StockSnap)

Are you having trouble finding ways to be happier, both in your career and in your personal life? Look no further because continuous learning is the answer!

Are you having trouble finding ways to be happier, both in your career and in your personal life? Look no further because continuous learning is the answer!

Here are ten ways lifelong learning benefits your personal success.

1.    It creates new career opportunities

Acquiring new skills will bring brand new opportunities with it. You could become eligible for a promotion at work or apply for jobs you used to be unqualified for. Or maybe you could find your department’s new manager during one of the courses.

Read: Simple ways to stay relevant in a changing job market

2.    It affects your children

Taking courses while not being in school sets a good example for your children. Instead of simply telling them how important it is to stay in school, you’re actually showing them. Moreover, research has shown that parents who value learning have children who stay in school longer, have lower rates of crime and aspire to higher paying jobs.

3.    You can earn more money

That brings us to your salary. Continuous learning will let you earn more money than people who have a narrower set of skills. Learning how to develop websites, for instance, could come in handy in your current job and improve your earnings.

4.    It improves your health

Some research has shown that people who are better educated are actually healthier than less educated people. Continued learning also slows down the psychical process of Alzheimer’s and it can make you more aware of how to live a healthier lifestyle, for instance by taking lessons about nutrition or sports.

5.    You improve your skillset

It is important, not only in your career but also in your personal life, to keep your skills and knowledge up-to-date. You create an opportunity for yourself to become seen as an expert in your field when taking industry-related training, or you can become ultimately street-smart.

6.    It builds confidence

Learning new skills will also improve your confidence level. You will feel like you have accomplished something and can accomplish even more if you set your mind to it. You are getting out of your comfort-zone and may even discover a surprising new talent.

7.    It enriches your life

Next to the benefits for your professional and personal life, you are enriching your life at various points. When taking classes you are more socially connected and involved in communities. Also you will get a great feeling of fulfilment whenever you learn something new.

8.    You keep in touch with the world

If you aren’t ever interested in learning anything new you will eventually feel closed off from the world. You definitely want to be the future cool grandparent who knows how smartphones work and posts filtered pictures with your grandchildren online.

Technology changes so quickly that you don’t only need to keep learning to not lose touch with your day-to-day life, but, since we’ll all have to work longer, you also still want to be able to do your job.

Read: 21 skills you need to get ahead in 2016

9.    You strengthen your brain power

Continuous learning is like going to the gym for your brain. It keeps your brain muscles in shape and you’ll be able to function at a high level. Whether learning for professional development or personal enrichment, Careers24 offers a wide variety of tried-and-tested courses via our training partners Educate24 and Udemy. Check out thousands of exciting (and inexpensive!) courses now available. Keeping your brain in tip-top shape will also help prevent diseases like Dementia and Alzheimer’s.

10. It fights boredom

Challenging yourself to learn new skills will help you fight boredom and it helps not getting stuck in negative thoughts and feelings. The term ‘bored out of my skull’ will never have to apply to you if you keep reading those books.