Why keep learning?

Sandra Pepper, Head of Education – Queensland Law Society

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”

— Benjamin Franklin

I’m a learning nerd. That might not be a surprising confession considering my role as Head of Education at Queensland Law Society and indeed may be considered a prerequisite for doing the job. I get a little thrill when I learn something new.

After I watch a webinar or do an online course, I want to tell someone about what I’ve learnt – share the little nugget of knowledge or explain how I’m going to apply it in my life. This gives me a feeling of accomplishment and knowing I always have something more to learn helps me grow and move forward, both personally and professionally.

While some of us are compelled to undertake continued learning by our employers or for professional regulatory compliance, there are usually other more personal and beneficial reasons that drive most of us to keep learning.

Here are a few of the benefits of continuous learning:

1. Stay up to date on current legal requirements — the law is changing so quickly we all need to keep up to date to be able to do our jobs competently. Being on top of hot topics and upcoming changes makes you a valuable asset in your employer’s eyes and also helps you to serve clients to the best of your capability.

2. Technology is always changing — it is essential to be able to understand and utilise latest technology. This will help you stay competitive and improve productivity in a fast tech driven market, where skills can quickly become out of date.

3. Establish yourself in an area of expertise — learning allows you to develop a reputation as an expert in your field and excel at the services you provide. Being recognised as an expert among your peers, provides and builds your value as the “go- to” person on a particular topic. It can also provide an opportunity for you to improve your financial remuneration prospects by developing “in demand” skills that others do not have.

4. Moving on up — if you want to move up in your career you need to keep learning. This means you need to be developing new skills and taking the next step on the pathway. Learning skills such as leadership, negotiation techniques, financial literacy and cultural awareness can help you get to where you want to go.

5. Manage your mental health — with the high prevalence of mental health issues and burn out in the modern work environment, we all have to learn techniques that help us deal with stress and anxiety and build resilience. This may involve learning mindfulness methods or building coping strategies that allow you to understand your triggers and thought processes so you can respond with techniques to stay mentally fit.

6. Personal fulfilment — I’m back to where I started. Challenging yourself and accomplishing a goal, builds confidence and provides a great sense of fulfilment and satisfaction in everything you do.

At its core, learning is a lifelong process for all of us that keeps us motivated, engaged and broadens our horizons — I encourage you all to keep learning and sharing that little nugget of knowledge.