Have you ever noticed there are people you know who are literally at the same place today as they were five years ago? They still have the same dreams, the same problems; the same alibis, the same opportunities, and the same way of thinking. They are standing still in life. It’s like their watched stopped five years ago and so did they. God’s will for us is to grow, to continue to learn and improve. The biggest room in our house is always the room for self-improvement.

A famous saying reads: “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” I must admit that I am somewhat of a fanatic about this. I hate to have idle time-time in which I am not learning anything. Those around me know that I must always have something to read or to write during any idle moment that might arise. In fact, I try to learn from everyone. From one I may learn what not to do, while from another, I learn what to do. Learn from the mistakes of others. You won’t live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself. You can learn from a wise man when he is wrong than a fool who is right.

Goethe said, “Everybody wants to be: nobody wants to grow.” I agree with Van Couch: “You will never change your actions until you change your mind.” An important way to keep growing is to never stop asking questions. The person who is afraid of asking is ashamed of learning. Only hungry minds can grow.

We should learn as if we will live forever and live as if we are going to die tomorrow. Harvey Ullman said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether this happens at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps on learning not only remains young, but becomes consistently more valuable regardless of physical capacity.” Timothy is instructed: “Study to show thyself approved unto God. . . .” (2 Timothy 2:15). It’s fun to keep learning. Learning brings approval to your life.

Learn from others. Learn to see in the challenges of others the ills you should avoid. Experience is a present instructor that keeps us from repeating the past in the future. Life teaches us by giving us new problems before we solve the old ones. Think education is expensive or difficult? Listen to Derek Bok: “If you think education is expensive-try ignorance.”