Ok, I realize that that is a pretty dramatic title and a bold claim. But I have heard way too many excuses lately on why they don’t engross themselves in self-education and personal development, even if they really want to, even if they know it has the power to change their lives.
Disclaimer here: Most people actually don’t know that it has the power to change their lives dramatically over time, and never make the conscious choice to pursue a path of self-education and personal development.
If you are one of these people, take this quote to heart, by a man that has lived one of the most incredible lives and has empowered countless millions to improve their own lives and the world around them:
“Formal-education will make you a living. Self-education will make you a fortune.” – Jim Rohn
And that fortune is not just financial … it includes all elements of life, including personal happiness, relationships, influence, contribution, and more.
The Excuses
Why don’t most people change their lives with self-education. Here are the excuses I’ve heard most often…
- Don’t have the Time (education takes time!)
- Don’t have the Money (education takes money!)
Aren’t those the excuses for pretty much everything? Aren’t they the excuses for NOT having enough time and enough money? We won’t go into what the real start of this what-came-first-chicken-or-egg cycle, but I will offer you a practical solution to immediately overcome both of these excuses.
Ready? It’s a lot simpler than most think… yet so overlooked by too many.
Audiobooks in the car!
According to a recent survey, the average American spends 2.5 hours each day in their car! 2.5 hours per day! That’s 17.5 hours per week… 910 hours per year… that’s approximately 10% of your total time, of your life, spent commuting.
What do most people invest this valuable time in? Listening to music, sports radio, commercials and the like, while generally being frustrated and complaining about the traffic, or worrying about how they’re going to be late to work.
The average audiobook is about 5 hours… if you take a break sometimes or get longer books, you can realistically average 3 audiobooks per week. 12 per month. 144 per year.
In the time that you are already using you can read up to 150 books per year on personal development, time management, leadership, relationship, financial planning, spirituality, parenting, health and fitness, and the list goes on and on. You can completely change your life through this kind of education.
Problem: Audiobooks cost money! (At 3 books a week, that’s a lot of money…)
Solution: Library Cards are FREE! You can take out an endless supply of audiobooks for FREE from your local library… yet only about 3% of Americans have a library card.
By the time you run out of free books, you will be wealthier than you imagined from the education you’ve gotten, and buying new books won’t be a problem.
One more excuse…
“I don’t spend 2.5 hours in my car per day!” … Well, you probably spend at least half an hour per day in your car, which can still get you about a book a week. You can also listen to audiobooks while you do other activities, like doing the dishes and cleaning your house. Keep your mind busy learning while your hands are busy working, and both will be more enjoyable and productive.
My story… since I got introduced to my first personal development audio CD by Jim Rohn and listened to it in my car, my life has never been the same. I was 19 then, and just over 2 years later I have listened to and read hundreds of books that have dramatically and positively transformed every facet of my life, and will continue to mold my future and help me empower many others. I go to college now, and I get just as much or more education driving to school and back than I do in my actual lectures. The education in my car is free, while the college tuition is tens of thousands of dollars per year.
Please… students, parents, entrepreneurs, employees, kids … go get yourself a library card TODAY and check out your first few books. Once you start on this path, your life will NEVER be the same again! And it won’t cost you tens of thousands of dollars or extra semesters spent in classrooms.
Yours in the Pursuit of Freedom, Passion, and Purpose…
Dmitriy Kozlov
PS – check out my Reading List (still developing this page) for some recommendations to get you started…
