Too much Time Spent Learning

Time Spent Being a  “Professional Learner”

Yikes!!!

What a way to lose business and stay stuck for a long time.

During the past year this has been one of the most common things I’ve heard online entrepeneurs talk about.

They spend too much time learning and thus they feel like their business is stuck and going no where!

Well that’s probably correct.

You see if you’re only in learning mode then you’re not in “earning” mode.

I like to parallel this to my time in University.

We’re given four nice pretty long years to LEARN everything you need to learn towards getting your degree!

My freshman year I learned FORTRAN!

For those who know what FORTRAN is and for those who know I’m not a day over 35 you know that learning FORTRAN was a waste of time.

I didn’t know that at the time.

Let’s fast forward 5 years!

I’ve graduated and I’m now doing my Master’s degree in Engineering and I am a graduate assistant for the this same freshman class.

Guess what they’re teaching now?!?!? – Not FORTRAN!

So in the space of four years what I studied is now obsolete!!!

The same is true with your business!

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Now we are not saying stop learning but don’t make it your profession. (like some people do with PhDs )

You’re in business to make money, so at some point in time you’re actually going to have to start doing just that.

Learning, studying etc are all well and good but you have to implement this learning.

You can’t sit and learn forever.

I know a few people in this business who’ve been to every webinar, every conference and every training session their company offers but they are yet to make a CENT!

Does this sound like you?

Well if it does I’m not here to yell and scream at you – ok maybe just a little bit – because you’re obviously stuck in a mode of learning and doing nothing.

I believe in action! To the point where I act before it’s time!

That’s not such a bad thing. Because then I throw myself into a different type of learning.

It’s interesting  to note  that a question that Dr. Clarke, a contributor of What’s Working Now – says you should ask yourself

“Is this worth my time?”

I ask myself this question almost everyday about every action I’m about to take.

So Dr. Clarke says … “that just before you’re about the click that ‘Register Now’ button…. Ask yourself.. “Is this worth my time?”

I’ve gone even further not to only ask if it’s worth my time, but to ask what will I be taking time away from that can be making me money.

In other words pay close attention to the trade-offs you’re making.

At the end of the day, learning is great;

but if that learning is going to take you away from

1) following up with a lead

2) doing product deliveries

3)hosting a sales meeting

4) Emailing your newsletter subscribers

5) doing marketing and promotion

In other words – completing your DMO

then I’m here to tell you my friend that maybe that bit of learning can wait.

Time is Valuable

What you do with your time has to add value.

You also need to know how to turn that value into money.

You know the old adage,

“Time is Money”

Don’t sit on all the information you collect.

If you do decide to spend the time attending a Webinar – you should be publishing information about that webinar the very NEXT DAY if not that same evening!!!!

This information cannot just stay like a permanent resident in your head and never generate income for you.

Very often we have to make choices with our professional purchases.

Yes you need to invest, not ride the “freebe” horse; but you also need to have balance.

I’ve saved a lot of time with my learning by registering just so that I can get the instant replay of some webinars.

Then I download and listen while driving in the car or while cooking a meal!

Not every webinar you need to take time out of another activity to listen to it.

I’ve listened to many webinars while washing clothes, ironing clothes, cooking dinner and driving to pick up my daughter!

These alternatives save you time when trying to get the education in and still maintain action in your business.

“While it’s true that all earners are learners, Professional Learners tend to be broke!”