Why becoming a lifelong learner is the key to successful entrepreneurship
"Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel."
This quote from a Greek philosopher sums up the concept of continuous or lifelong learning. It is an ongoing pursuit with the power to keep you progressing.
While clearly not a new concept, the importance of lifelong learning has increased significantly in recent years. This is due to dramatic shifts in how businesses operate and equally stark changes in how society functions and foresees the future of work.
Let's examine the rising importance of continuous education, the benefits lifelong learning can bring to professionals, and how you can curate a personalized learning journey that's right for you.
Lifelong Learning: a Definition
Lifelong learning is the concept that education as part of life is continuous rather than a 'once and done' activity. Throughout our lives, we intentionally acquire new knowledge and skills. Your aim might be to progress professionally or to develop personal interests. You could be what the Greeks call a philomath—a lover of learning. But being a lifelong student doesn't come naturally to everyone. For some of us, it requires a conscious shift.
Mhorag Doig, head of alumni careers, Career Center at London Business School, feels lifelong learning is an umbrella term for "curiosity, growth, and resilience".
"Ultimately it is a mindset rather than just a tactic,” she says.
"Being a lifelong learner allows us to future-proof our careers, ensuring we remain relevant and innovative no matter what disruptions—both forced and voluntary—come our way."
Why lifelong learning is important
People are living and working longer. UNESCO is researching both the need and societal impact of lifelong learning initiatives in the context of our ageing populations. Continuing education is also a topic that's garnering government attention. UK parliament recently debated lifelong learning and the planned introduction of a lifelong learning entitlement.
Ceri Willmott, director of careers consulting and professional development at Imperial College Business School, says living longer is one of the drivers of increasing interest in lifelong learning.
"With longer lifespans and extended careers, professionals need to stay updated to ensure sustained employability and personal growth. In today's knowledge-based economy, success hinges on creativity, problem-solving, and innovation—all of which require continuous learning."
The benefits of lifelong learning
1. You’ll Stay Relevant
Whether you need to adapt to changes in your role or sector, or you're planning a pivot, further education could increase your relevance in an evolving jobs market. According to The World Economic Forum, skills gaps are the most significant barrier to business transformation. Research suggests 59% of the global population will need upskilling by 2030. Of those, 19% will likely need to transition to other roles.
"Emerging technologies are reshaping job roles, making continuous learning essential for employees to stay relevant," explains Ceri from Imperial College Business School.
"As industries undergo digital transformation, companies are facing a widening skills gap and preparing for a capability shortfall."
She adds, "With longer working lives, professionals must adapt to changing industries and evolving job roles. The ability to learn and pivot has itself become a core competency, helping professionals remain employable and reducing the risk of job displacement."
2. You’ll Build Resilience and Autonomy
Has your chosen career path not brought the stability you'd hoped? You may have concerns about Gartner's predictions that 20% of organizations will use AI to flatten their organizational structure through 2026. Gartner estimates the process will eliminate more than half of current middle management positions.
"Given how rapidly industries evolve due to technological advancements, economic shifts, and changing employer and employee expectations, I see upskilling as the best way for professionals to stay relevant, competitive, and in control of their career," says Mhorag of London Business School, adding:
"Being on the front foot of change through upskilling gives us much-needed agency in our careers[...] Ultimately, upskilling isn't just reactive to job loss or stagnation but a continuous strategy for growth and career security where we aren't just learning new things to do (skills) but also new ways to do them (competencies and leadership skills)."
3. Learning Can Open up new Opportunities
If you want to lead rather than follow, updating your education in line with workforce demand and skills needs could open the door to new opportunities. It might also bring you increased stability or a higher salary.
Ceri of Imperial College Business School recommends researching emerging trends in your field of interest and identifying skills in high demand or problems you would like to solve.
She says, "Many businesses struggle to find professionals with expertise in key areas such as digital literacy, data analysis, and soft skills like communication and leadership. Upskilling helps bridge this gap, making employees more valuable to organizations while opening new career opportunities."
4. You can Align Your Values and Purpose
Are you feeling out of sync with your day job? Aligning our work with our values increases job satisfaction and positively impacts our health and well-being. Self-reflection followed by the targeted study could put you on a more intentional track, explains Ceri of Imperial College Business School. She says the Ikigai framework can be a helpful tool to “align your passion and purpose with prosperity".
"Think about work-life balance and wellbeing," she urges. "Do you need to improve stress management, set clearer boundaries between work and personal life, develop better time-management techniques, or align your work more closely with your personal values? Consider your personal values and interests. What matters most to you? What excites and motivates you in your career? What is the impact you want to have?"
Personal Development: Deciding what's Right for your Learning Journey
As a professional, opting for formal continuous development might mean:
Applying for Higher Education
Formal schooling in the form of an MBA, EMBA, or business master's offers many benefits, such as extending your professional network alongside the pursuit of knowledge.
Completing Online Business Certifications
You might explore online courses when taking time out of the classroom isn't feasible, or you want to build your knowledge in defined areas.
Taking Short Courses
A short course could work for upskilling that introduces you to new can help you find the best programs available to study in the US to meet your personal needs and goals.
Identifying your Personal Development Goals
The time you have available to learn, your existing qualifications, and your budget are typical factors in designing a personal learning journey. But before you explore your options, taking the time to define your goals in a way that makes them both specific and measurable is a step experts say you shouldn't skip.
Mhorag of London Business School explains, "Goal setting is hard, and too often we make the mistake of setting our development goals either in a vacuum or narrowing our focus to the needs of our immediate role or next step".
"Mentors, managers, peers, and industry connections can provide valuable insights into skill gaps, emerging industry needs, and hidden opportunities that can inform our goal setting in a meaningful way."
She recommends seeking advice and insights from mentors, managers, peers, and industry connections and “taking a data-driven and stakeholder-supported approach” to setting your goals. As well as using “real career data such as our own values and career criteria, feedback, market trends, in-demand skills and peer benchmarking”.
A short-term goal could be getting a promotion. Your long-term plan might be to change sectors or develop the soft skills you need to advance into leadership. It's important to be specific.
You might have in mind that you'd like to be sitting in the C-suite in ten years’ time, says Mhorag, "but there is a distinct difference between a 'career vision’ and development goals, which are the practical and incremental steps that keep us moving forward in our careers”.