Keep Learning…But Why?
An important lesson from corporate life
About a decade ago, in the firm I used to work for, there was a colleague I’ll refer to as S. He had an insatiable curiosity about everything around him. Whether at the lunch table, in interdepartmental meetings, or while analyzing balance sheets of our company and competitors, he wanted to know it all.
I recognized two key motivators behind his drive: first, he was aware he was a basic graduate in a sea of MBAs, which kept him on his toes. Second, he was the sole breadwinner for a large family, which fueled his determination. Comparatively, I had better educational qualifications and fewer financial responsibilities.
Yes, he was undeniably more motivated than I was. I took things easy, it was mainly because my heart wasn’t in the work—I was just going through the motions.
Prior to joining our current company, S had worked in a smaller firm and he understood that he had to secure a position in this much bigger firm. This drove him to constantly gather insights on office dynamics and product knowledge to solidify his standing.
After about three years, my lack of enthusiasm caught up with me, leading me to move on to another company.
Over the years, I’ve kept track of S’s progress on LinkedIn. He pursued an MBA, earned a promotion to a senior role, and is thriving in his professional life.
One significant lesson I gleaned from him is that true excellence in a job comes from a hunger for continuous learning. If you find yourself in a role that doesn’t spark your curiosity, it’s better to seek out something else.
Not only with S — I observed that coworkers who were constantly learning new things, did always better than the others. The drive/ motivation might be different — but the common trait was always hunger to learn.
While factors such as networking, sycophancy, taking initiative, etc play a role in corporate success, I believe that constantly learning is a key factor that contributes significantly to both personal and company’s progress.
In my current role as a teacher, I distinguish between two types of students:
A) Those who are simply going through the motions.
B) Driven students who consistently seek to expand their knowledge.
For students in category A, my advice is to discover something that ignites their curiosity and encourages further learning, as that’s where their personal growth and progress in life will lie.
