Be a Lifelong Learner

The case for lifelong learning:

I’ve personally held onto the belief that learning shouldn’t stop after completing formal education. In fact, I would say, from the moment of graduation, life begins to expand at an exponential rate. Educating yourself should keep in step with your ever-changing life. The type of education I’m referring to focuses on finding ways to better yourself in every area of your life as you live it out. Education, when done correctly, is one of the best investments you can make in yourself. Over time, passionate and consistent learning will result in increased knowledge. But knowledge is only powerful when it is put into action.

“Once a person stops searching for information and self-knowledge, ignorance sets in. That struggle is a moment-to-moment decision—to learn to open or close one’s mind.”
– Robert Kiyosaki, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Lesson One: The Rich Don’t Work for Money.

Be a lifelong learner. Start today to better yourself and your future. Below is a list of learning resources I personally have used. If you have used something else, please reference it below in the comment section. Live out a Maverick Life.

Resources:

Books:

Practical tip: Using your local library or free digital libraries like Hoopla can be a great way to read books without having to purchase them.

Faith:
- A Study Bible ESV | KJV | NLT | NKJV
  - Reading a study Bible enriches your understanding of the scriptures, offering insights into historical contexts and cultural backgrounds. Abby wrote a great post about how to study the Bible here.
- Real Christianity by Dale Partridge
  - A quick but impactful read that explores the beautiful Gospel message while challenging Christians to live out a faith that is authentic.
- I Will: Nine Traits of the Outwardly Focused Christian by Thom Rainer
  - Addresses practical ways for Christians to actively serve and impact their local church and community.
- Saved From Success by Dale Partridge
  - This book challenges readers to redefine success beyond cultural expectations, offering a biblical perspective on life, marriage, and careers.
- Kingdom Man by Tony Evans
  - Explores biblical principles for leadership, family, and community, inspiring men to return to God’s design for marriage, family, and life. I wrote an article about the lessons I learned from this book here.
- The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
  - Written by a former atheist who came to Christ. Lee outlines the undeniable facts about Christianity in great detail. This book could strengthen a reader’s faith or compel someone to commit their life to following Christ, like Lee did. The Case for Christ book was turned into a great movie as well.
Family:
- Bringing Up Boys & Bringing Up Girls by Dr. James Dobson
  - Age-specific advice on how to properly love, instruct, and raise well-rounded children. The foundational instructions are based on biblical principles.
- Marriage for God: Making Your Marriage the Best It Can Be by Christopher Ash
  - The author goes through every area of a marital relationship and addresses God’s purposes for each of them. This book is written for couples at each stage of a relationship. Couples that have been married for a while, newlyweds or even premarital could learn something beneficial from this book.
- Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend
  - This book teaches readers what boundaries are within relationships and how they will help you take better control of your life.
Finance:
- Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
  - It helps readers break bad habits and make lasting changes when it comes to money, budgeting, debt-free living, and retirement.
- Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
  - The author explains the difference between working for money and having your money work for you. The book challenges you to think outside the box to grow your financial literacy.
Fitness:
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
  - A thought-provoking book to reflect on your current situations in life and evaluate changes you should make to better yourself.
- The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
  - Darren Hardy dives in on what it takes to progress and better yourself with the method of the compound effect. He challenges readers to establish small, consistent habits to achieve desired results. I enjoyed this book so much that I wrote a dedicated blog post about it here.

Christian Commentaries/Concordance:

Forums:

Podcasts:

Real Christianity [Apple | Spotify]
The Ramsey Show [Apple | Spotify]

Social Media:

Videos:

What Learning Looks Like in My Life:

Abby and I have had the privilege to run a youth ministry through our church for over five years. Quite often, I would say to the teenagers that when you stop asking questions, progress towards knowledge begins to stop. By no means do I know everything. Therefore, I have room to grow. When we ask questions and open-mindedly seek the answer, growth occurs. For Christians reading this post, asking genuine questions about your faith and questioning God are two distinct things that come down to the heart of the person asking the question. Asking yourself what you believe and aligning it to what the Bible has to say is where we all should strive to be. The Bible says we should be prepared to give an account for the hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15). Jesus also states in Matthew chapter 7 that we should persistently go to God by “asking”, “seeking”, and “knocking”. We should diligently seek God: pray, ask questions, inquire godly console, and pursue answers in His word.

In my career within Internet technology, as a network engineer, certifications and continued education can help to boost a career. If done correctly, it could result in promotions, opportunities for more prestigious employment, or pay raises. Every year, I look to focus on an education track that will help to enhance my resume and skill set. Does your career have the same type of opportunity? If so, evaluate a path that could help benefit your career. Devote time to leveling yourself up.

Hobbies such as playing an instrument, writing, or gardening are great for your mind. I play guitar, and I’m always looking for ways to strengthen my abilities. Maybe for yourself, there is a hobby that you enjoy or would enjoy if you committed more time to developing those skills. One thing that I’ve learned is that consistency is key. I have also heard of many people who start something but never finish. I’ve been guilty of this before many times. It takes a daily conscious effort. For example, someone wants to learn guitar, but they quit after just a couple of lessons. Or they buy a gym membership in January, and by February, they no longer go because results aren’t immediate. Don’t let that be you. Culture today has conditioned us to only accept instant results. Instant gratification has ruined many individuals’ outlook on success. Sometimes, results don’t come immediately. Often, good things take time. What hobby are you passionate about? Develop a strategy to devote more attention to it!

Car maintenance or house projects is a great area where you can practice a do-it-yourself mindset and learn a whole lot while completing a task. Beyond learning a new skill that could potentially save you money, you earn a new level of confidence. You learn to believe in yourself that you can do it. Over the years, I have been able to use the skills I’ve learned to save my family tens of thousands of dollars and help others along the way. What is something you have always admired and wanted to learn how to do? Devote yourself to learning how to do it! Believe in yourself that you have what it takes! Watch a video on YouTube or scroll through Pinterest for inspiration and get after it!

About The Authors

Brett & Abby Stanavich