I recently had a discussion with a close friend of mine about the merits of going back to school. At this moment in time, I personally don’t see a need for myself to go back to school, but I do believe that a lot of people pass up on many good opportunities when they decide not to get extra training or schooling in a topic or profession that interests them. There are many reasons for this to happen, some being, the person feels it will be too hard to go back to school, or that they don’t have enough time or money to enroll. It could be because of their current jobs or personal situations. After saying all that, I believe the number one reason that people don’t take up this opportunity is because they just never thought of it.

Going back to school doesn’t need to be a full time endeavor, if you are going for a new degree or a completely new profession, take night courses and do it part time. It will take you longer to complete but you can still work full-time at your current job. If you just want to learn a new skill or something else that you don’t need a piece of paper for. Then enroll in a course that will teach you what you want. A woodworking course is a great example of this. If you enjoy woodworking, and want to become better at it, the best thing you can do is enroll in a course with a skilled teacher that can give you the hands on experience that you need. Another good example, is for someone who is interested in starting up their own business, going back to school and taking a business or entrepreneurial course or two can potentially make or break your new business.

Some professions require you to be constantly learning, in fact, I don't think there is a single job that doesn't require some form of training from time to time. sometimes this training can happen during a 15 minute meeting, or other times it requires a substantial amount of your time, like enrolling in a night course. My current profession, being a software developer is one that is constantly changing, new technologies are coming out faster then we can learn the old ones, and this requires a state of constant learning. One can easily stay on top of the current trends without enrolling in any courses, (the internet is a wonderful thing!!!) but at the same time, if I were to want to add an extra level of complexity, say move to a database administrator position, then I would need to get that extra training. So, what I am trying to say here, is that extra schooling can be a great tool for getting ahead in your current position. What better way to show your superiors that you are eager to improve yourself and better the company then by waving a crisp new certificate of completion in front of them.

Take a moment to think about where you are right now in your current life, now think about all the things that you WANT, think about that job of your dreams, or those shiny new things you want so badly. Now, is it possible for you to achieve those things with the tools that are in your present tool box? If the answer to that is NO, then start thinking about what you can do to achieve your goals and/or life's purpose. If any of these items that you list require extra knowledge that you do not currently posses, then think hard about whether you should go back to school. If you can spare a few hours a week to take a night course that will bring you closer to your goals, then I believe it is time well spent. Take that initial step and break any forces that are holding you back. Don't let your mind talk you out of doing this, because once you finish and you are one step closer to achieving your goals, you will thank yourself for sticking with it, for making yourself go to every class, for believing that what you desire can come true, and finally and most importantly, for having the courage to go back to school and become what you desire.

Remember, the first step is always the hardest, so go ahead and get it over with, and start living an Improved Life today!