It’s that time of year we acknowledge achievement and success! Strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” fill auditoriums filled with proud families of graduates from kindergarten to college and we celebrate graduates’ accomplishments. As you know from every single commencement speech you have ever heard, learning and growing do not have a finish line and we should always be open to new opportunities to grow and change.
While in school, we learn basic skills and concepts that prepare us for entering the workforce and getting started in our chosen field. But the world we live in is not the same world that we graduated into—even for recent graduates. New knowledge is being discovered every day. Technology changes faster than we can keep up with it. Much of what used to be regarded as unchangeable truth has been replaced by new facts and proven theories.
Those who do not intentionally pursue continuing education will find themselves left behind. Even if the science in your particular field does not change quickly, the methods for organizing, implementing, and handling that knowledge will change. Unless you can keep up with the changing landscape, you will be ineffective and increasingly unproductive. Your peers and clients will soon regard you as unwilling to move with the times and that could potentially have negative effects on your livelihood. Continuing education increases your value no matter what field you are in, and value is crucial in order to keep your edge and be considered as an indispensable member of your team. Uninformed team members are expendable.
We grow and change with new skills and knowledge physically as well. Learning better technique helps us workout more efficiently and safely. Understanding nutrition or diseases affected by our nutrition, like diabetes, metabolic disorder, cardiovascular disease, help us make better choices about nourishing and feeding our body. Skills like self-defense and martial arts teach us discipline, focus, and movements for self-protection.
Our HapKiDo program had a belt promotion ceremony on May 19th and we celebrated our first black belt promotion to Dr. Caroline A. Paul. She noted with consistency, discipline, and lots of practice, her extraordinary achievement can be duplicated by anyone willing to challenge and push themselves to be a lifelong learner. Sah Bah Niem Albanese is also a 5th-degree black belt and can usually be found working on his skills in our group fitness room during the afternoon. We wish Dr. Paul our congratulations on her black belt and hope she serves as an inspiration to continue to learn and grow, both mentally and physically.
Any effort you put into keeping your skills, abilities, and knowledge up to date will keep you ahead of your competition and increase your potential – you can always be a better version of yourself!
By Contributing Author, Brooke White, Owner, Personal Trainer, USATF Level 2 Coach, SOUND FITNESS