Be a Lifelong Learner

Consider the following statistic:

The average worker in the United States reads less than one book per year. 

Though that statement is staggering, wait until you read this next part:

That same person makes 319 times less money than the top CEOs in our country, who claim, on average, to read 60 books per year. 

Check out these other interesting statistics:

• 1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
• 42% of college graduates never read another book after college.
• 80% of U.S. families did not buy or read a single book last year.
• 70% of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
• 57% of new books are not read to completion.
• 70% of books published do not earn back their advance.
• 70% of books published do not make a profit.

To quote Jim Rohn:

“Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.” 

The average life expectancy of a person in our country is approximately 78 years.  As an illustration, picture your life on a measuring tape, where each year represents one inch.  Many of us who followed the traditional form of education spent the first 21 years (or 21 inches) of our lives engaged in some type of formal education. This comprises about 25% of our lifetime, and we then live out the remaining 75% (or 57 inches) of our lives outside of the education system. 

Many of the masses attend college, and yet 42% of graduates will never pick up a book for the remainder of their lifetime.  As the great writer Henry David Thoreau said, “The masses lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” The point is this: if you want to succeed in life and in business, formal education is definitely not the end all.  Self-education is the key!

The more you learn, the more you earn!

Or, another favorite: “The person with the biggest library also has the biggest house.”

Self-education can not only launch you to greater success in your life, but it can also lend a richness to your character that is captivating to those who meet you. Have you ever met someone who is truly interesting? Chances are, that fascinating person has never stopped learning and has invested in self-education.

Be sure to come back next week: I will share techniques you can use in order to continue to educate yourself. We will discuss how to make the last 75% of your life count! In the meantime, remember that education can and should still occur every single day. The future is looking bright!

Share this post