Learn Before You Earn And 3 Reasons Why

It is nearly impossible to build an automobile engine if you do not know how to make an automobile engine. It is almost impossible to perform open-heart surgery if you do not know how to perform open-heart surgery. It is nearly impossible to be a multi-millionaire if you do not know how to be a multi-millionaire.

It is nearly impossible to be successful at anything unless you first learn what it is you want to be successful in doing. You must learn before you earn. Learning always comes before Earning, and the only scenario this does not apply is in the dictionary alphabetically. You must also understand three reasons why learning before earning is the key to your success.

 Others Will Define You If You Don’t

The Merriam-Webster definition of define is: to determine or identify the essential qualities or meaning of. What defines you? Better yet, who defines you?

It is human nature that we categorize, label, or define those around us by classifying people as rich, poor, smart, challenged, weak, strong, successful, struggling, big, little, blue-collar, white-collar and so on. We are all guilty of it from time to time because we are human. We define others, and the flip side to that is, others define us. Refusing to believe that your peers have defined you would be doing yourself a great disservice, trust me, you have been defined.

Unfortunately, many of us begin to believe our capabilities are limited to what others have defined or decided about us. If those around us do not think we are creative, then our internal creative process becomes limited because we do not believe we have it within ourselves. We believe what others have led us to think because we have no other affirmation, nothing telling us any differently.

Growing up, I experienced this type of definement first hand. Early on in my childhood, several teachers shared concerns with my parents because they noticed a timid, quiet behavior from me. They suggested to my parents that maybe some therapy would be good. The therapist I went to asked me to draw my family. I am the literal type, so I drew my family, which consisted of a father, mother, and two brothers. In front of my parents, the therapist asked if I had finished drawing, and I confidently said yes. He wondered why I was not in the picture, and I told him because you asked me to draw my family. I drew all of them. He did not say your family and you. 

The therapist defined my behavior as a lack of self-esteem. And from that point forward, guess what, I had a lack of self-confidence. It was not until I decided that only I could define myself, that things started to change for me. I researched and learned the things I wanted to be, and that made me more confident. I had to teach myself the things that I wanted to know in order to be successful. And you have to do the same. 

Truth be told, my quiet and timid behavior had nothing to do with self-esteem in the beginning. To this day, I absorb everything around me quietly. I study people and read people. This behavior, and asset, has served me well in all of my many ventures.  

It is vital that you learn and genuinely know how you want to be defined. If you do not, others will do it for you. And I can assure you they will limit your full potential. You have to define yourself. No one believes more in you than you do! Once you know and understand this, it can be one of your most excellent tools.

 Emotions Do Not Make Good Decisions

This past year I had a significant, life-changing career decision to make. I struggled daily, leaning from one choice to the other. It drove me insane for months because, within twenty-four hours of making a decision, my emotions would change so drastically. Hours of research on the internet could not even help me make a firm decision on this one.

A book by Andy Stanley, “Ask It,” put it all in perspective. His book claims there is one question that will revolutionize how you make decisions. His claim is accurate. As I finished reading the last page of his book, immediately, my life-changing career decision was made. 

The question you ask? Don’t read the next sentence if you don’t want a spoiler. The question he proposes is, “In light of your past experiences, current circumstances, and future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing for you to do in order to avoid regret in this area of life?”

It quickly dawned on me why I had been on both sides of the fence for so long. Before reading this book, my decision-making process was based purely on my current emotions. The emotions I was presented and processing with each day. This life-changing question solely based on facts and not feelings. I am not saying you should make unwise decisions based on the opposite of regret, but don’t hesitate to do something out of fear of failure. Moving forward, when you solely base your learning and decisions on facts and not emotions, you will be successful.

What does this have anything to do with first learning to earn, you ask? So many people have no clarity in what they need to do to reach their full potential. They wake up every day and let the day’s emotions decide their actions and tasks. They don’t know what they don’t know. Successful people know what they are going to do before their eyes open every morning. They do this by learning facts that provide clarity in their decision-making process, leaving the emotions out of it. Emotions can build a business as quickly as they can tear it down. Knowing when feelings should be followed is the key to success. Be emotional about what you are passionate about. The actual business decisions shouldn’t have emotion involved.

 You Will Earn Only As Much As You Want To Learn

Ever heard someone say I wish I could sing? Or, I wish I could draw? Or, I wish I could get a better paying job? Or, I wish… Yeah, me too. Well, let me tell you something. They are full of that dark stuff that comes out the back end of most mammals.

If someone truly wants to sing, they will invest their money and time by finding a vocalist to teach them to sing. Or if they want to be an artist for a career, they will spend their time and resources at their local college. If they genuinely wanted to get a better paying job, they would invest their time and resources in changing their career path.

Yes, you must indeed learn before you earn. But, you will only earn what you are willing to invest in yourself and nothing more. If you are questioning whether you really want to be a millionaire, you will know the answer quickly by how much time and resources you invest in learning to be a millionaire.

If you want to be a millionaire, learn how to be a millionaire before you earn it, or you will fail. Lottery winners prove this point time and time again. They win a vast multi-million-dollar fortune and lose it all within a short period because they never took the time to learn how to be wealthy.

Closing

Define yourself based on facts and not emotions. Only learn what you are willing to invest, and your return will be rewarded in abundance. Life is short; don’t wait to learn! Start today. Do today what others won’t. So tomorrow, you can do what others can’t!

And if you have a skill set others could learn from, write a book so they can learn before they earn. Learn why by clicking here to watch my video.