Ignorance may be bliss, but it was never the road to wealth and well being. It was never the answer to society's problems. And never, ever the path to success. Education is the key to moving toward your goals. It doesn't have to mean a formal education at a university. Even those lucky ones with diplomas in hand understand that real success means staying in the learning curve -- being teachable.

Powerful people across the globe agree that to stay on the cutting edge you must take time to learn and grow within your industry. Brian Tracey, the great motivational speaker, suggests taking one hour a day to read a book, a trade magazine or a newsletter that will teach you something new in your field. Interestingly enough, this is the one area many entrepreneurs feel they don't have time; too many things to do for a one-man show. But just like exercise keeps your body in top form, learning keeps you ahead of your competition. How can you stay ahead if you don't stay informed?

So devote an hour to your future with a little education to keep you at the top of your field. Here are a few things you can do:

1. Subscribe to online newsletters that educate. Many quality newsletters online are rich in information and keep you up to date weekly. Pick a few to read on a regular basis. Resist the temptation to subscribe to everything in your field. This can become overwhelming, and the newsletters usually end up being filed into a folder never to be read again. Learning to recognize that you are indeed a busy entrepreneur will help you to be selective. There are hundreds of ezine directories online from which to learn about the best newsletters.
    
2. Order E-books from the leaders online. Many of the top leaders online that would charge thousands of dollars for consultations also offer E-books that range in price from $30 to $100. This is the best of the best information from great minds that have valuable resources to share with you. Just make sure that the E-books are indeed written by people in the know.
    
3. Buy a book a month from your favorite bookstore. One informative, educational book a month is twelve months of education that will serve you well. Set goals to read during your one hour a day and to apply a principle a week. This one little technique will expand your business one hundred fold.
    
4. Listen while you work. Audio tapes can be the single best learning device for busy entrepreneurs. Just plug the tape in while your driving, cooking dinner or doing mundane business chores that don't really take your brain to accomplish. This is like doubling up your time. Audio tapes are available on almost any subject, and many books are converted to audio tapes for easy learning where ever you happen to be.

Set goals for your education so that you are always moving forward and ahead of the competition. Take the time to learn about new products and services that you might add to your selection of current offerings. This strengthens you in the market place. If all else fails, study your competition. They can often be the best teachers and motivators

Marty Lund, a CPA with more than twenty years as vice president of finance for Tiffany's, New York, is known as "The Financial Genius." He can help you start your own business through his training packages and information-rich sources found online.
Full Author Profile -->