Early in my career, it became evident that both for my own personal satisfaction and career development, it’s key to have a mentality to be always learning. Early on, that was very easy and evident — experimenting and learning the newest framework and updates to existing ones. But the last decade, as more of a leader, that path to continuous learning is a little more opaque. But in the last month or so, I’ve had a bit of an epiphany.

Working the learning muscle doesn’t always have to be a direct path to your current job description or title. The sheer action of continued learning in any subject can be as valuable and advantageous as something tied directly to your current job.

The Obvious Career Aligned Continued Learning

As a leader in technology, the baseline in continuing education is keeping up with new technologies, trends, and frameworks. You don’t go as deep, but it’s important to have an understanding and awareness to be a good team player, to be able to understand your direct reports, and just continue to be connected to technology.

Then, in terms of becoming a better leader, it’s reading articles/books, listening to podcasts, and watching videos around good leadership practices, conflict management, and team dynamics. Sure, you want to be able to talk to your team, your peers, and practically anyone else about your job with a level of novel information and understanding, but living and breathing this only content can actually make you a little dull. Plus day-to-day there might not be anything completely relevant or new.

Working the Learning Muscle

It is just like when you choose your next book to read, you likely switch up between fiction and non-fiction, like I do. Diversifying what you are learning is only making you a more well-rounded human being, able to interact and adapt to more situations. Any learning and exposing yourself to new ideas works the brain, and helps you draw parallels, examples, and generate new ideas.

Recent Personal Examples

The catalyst for writing this article was based on recent learnings, and even more planned learnings. I just finished a course, while still on the professional end of the spectrum, not a direct tie to my current role. Via the Scrum Alliance, I just took an online course to get a certification Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO). I’m currently an Engineering Manager, but thoroughly found the course and certification helpful in continuing to expand my role and skills, and my overall marketability.

Going forward, I’m going to also get two other certifications in the coming month: Foundational Certified ScrumMaster and as a Schwinn® Indoor Cycling Certification. The ScrumMaster certification, also via Scrum Alliance, is a closer tie to my current role and like the CSPO, helpful to continuing to expand my skills and current role, and overall marketability.

Obviously, the indoor cycling certification, has very little alignment with the professional career, but in a rhythm of learning, it’s a good time to keep the learning momentum.

Many years ago, I was an avid outdoor cyclist, and a local Cat 4 racer for a team near my collegiate alma mater. In recent years, much of my cardio and cycling has moved indoors at the gym, taking multiple indoor cycling classes. My love of music and cycling make it a very natural place to get in a lot of my weekly cardio.

For awhile, my gym has been looking for more instructors so they can add more classes, and to have a roster of substitutes for the inevitable illnesses and vacations. Getting that certification will help me give back to a community I’ve become very involved in, and have a new subject in training, leadership and process to upskill. It’s also a commitment to showing up for my fitness.

Conclusion

The more you learn, the easier it is to learn more.

The real point of this article is to encourage you all the same way expanding my learning has encouraged me. You should always be learning to assist your career, but it’s equally important to find ways and subjects that have very little to nothing to do with your day job. The working of the mind to learn helps you more easily absorb new subjects. The more you learn, the easier it is to learn more.