Why It’s So Important to Learn a New Skill in 2023
We live in a world that is changing at lightning speed. As automation and AI start transforming entire industries, it’s more critical than ever to continue learning new skills to remain competitive, increase opportunities, and enhance our lives. Learning a new skill should be a priority for nearly everyone, especially working professionals looking to level up.
Why You Should Make Learning a New Skill a Priority This Year
With rapid technological shifts and an unpredictable job landscape, those who stop acquiring new skills and knowledge risk being left behind. Here are some of the top reasons why committing to learn a new skill should be a major priority in 2023.
Stay Competitive in the Evolving Job Market
The workplace looks vastly different today than it did even 10 years ago. Routine, repetitive tasks are increasingly being handed over to machines equipped with artificial intelligence. A McKinsey report estimates that 30% of work activities could be automated by 2030. Rather than being replaced outright, many jobs are undergoing change, requiring new technical, digital, and soft skills to work alongside technology. Employees who fail to adapt and expand their abilities risk obsolescence.
Learning an in-demand skill now, whether through online courses, bootcamps, certifications or other means, will ensure you have a competitive advantage. Some examples of skills worth acquiring today include data analysis, coding and development, digital marketing, design, and specialized technical skills unique to your industry. Having these relevant abilities makes you the type of agile, flexible employee that companies seek to hire and retain.
Rather than view AI and automation as a threat, leverage these technologies as an opportunity to upskill into new roles and expand your capabilities. Demonstrating a commitment to continuous learning tells employers you will add value to the organization for years to come.
Increase Opportunities for Advancement and Higher Salary
Beyond just staying marketable in your current job, learning a new skill opens up tangible opportunities for career advancement, promotions, and significantly higher earning potential. Employers want to reward and compensate workers who drive their own development and bring added value to the organization.
Think of how much more qualified you become for senior roles with enhanced responsibility when you add or strengthen skills like data analysis, graphic design, financial analysis, project management, website development, public speaking, and more. The more high-demand abilities you possess, the more options open up for upward mobility.
Specialized certifications can also lead to concrete promotion opportunities. For example, in technology or healthcare, obtaining certain certificates allow you to expand your role. In corporate settings, having Project Management Professional (PMP) certification qualifies you to lead key initiatives and teams. Investing the time to develop in-demand “hard skills” pays off with higher salaries – often far more than a cost of living adjustment or small merit increase.
Enhance Your Resume and Build Career Capital
No matter your career stage, developing a new skill helps prevent undesirable resume gaps if you decide to switch careers, take time off work, or face unemployment. Building a large and diverse skillset also builds your career capital – your combination of knowledge, experiences and capabilities that make you uniquely valuable.
Having robust, varied career capital means you are able to remain agile and pivot your focus if needed. For example, combining communication skills with data analytics or graphic design skills creates a flexible employee who can adapt to changing needs. Ongoing learning also prepares you for entirely new career possibilities, whether by choice or due to restructuring.
Expand Your Knowledge and Abilities
While professional development is a significant driver for learning new skills, you also shouldn’t undervalue the personal fulfillment you gain from mastering something new. Learning expands your thinking, exposes you to new ideas and information, and gives you a sense of accomplishment.
What topics have you always wanted to understand better but haven’t made time for? Perhaps you finally tackle that foreign language that has always intrigued you, learn to code or master a musical instrument you’ve admired others playing. Enjoying the learning process and being engrossed in a subject you love provides satisfaction that extends far beyond work.
Help Keep Your Mind Sharp as You Age
Many experts believe that continual learning and mental stimulation may help delay cognitive decline and the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Challenging your brain with new skills, thought patterns and bodies of knowledge creates neural pathways that compensate for those lost due to aging.
Keeping your mind active appears to increase cognitive reserves and brain resilience. So in addition to professional motivations, learning something new gives your mind a real workout. You get a mental boost while also doing preventative mind exercises.
Several studies have found correlations between complex cognitive activity and slower memory loss later in life. One paper in the journal Neurology showed that learning digital photography delayed the onset of dementia by an average of 9.5 years among participants. While much research is still needed in this area, the takeaway is clear – we should keep acquiring new skills as we age.
How to Choose Which Skill to Learn
Of course, with so many options today, deciding what skill to dedicate your precious time and energy to learning can feel overwhelming. Here are some helpful criteria to determine which new skill is right for you:
- Assess your current skills and identify gaps. What abilities are missing from your skillset? Make a list of both hard skills and soft skills that could use development, then choose skills to fill those gaps.
- Look for growing or in-demand skills in your industry. For example, data analysis or coding for business roles, digital marketing for creative positions. Choose future-proof skills that align with where your industry is heading.
- Align new skills with your interests and passions. You will be far more motivated to put in the work to learn if you have a genuine interest or passion for the topic. Leverage your hobbies and loves.
- Consider skills adjacent to or complementary to your current role. Building on your formal education or current work maximizes transferability. For instance, a designer learning 3D modeling.
- Research options for monetizing or applying the skill. Ideally choose versatile skills that either offer additional income potential or have wide applicability across roles and industries.
- Talk to mentors or colleagues you admire about skills that have served them well or they wish they had learned earlier in their career. Get insights from others.
Once you’ve narrowed down options based on these criteria, choose one skill to focus on mastering at a time, while keeping a list of others for future learning.
Tips for Learning a New Skill Effectively
Once you’ve chosen which new skill you want to tackle, what’s the best way to ensure you actually develop true competency? Here are some key strategies for learning effectively:
Set Specific, Measurable Goals with a Timeline
At the outset, set clear goals with deadlines to provide direction and accountability. Break a large goal down into smaller milestones and levels of proficiency to track your progress. Developing fluency in a language? Aim for X proficiency level in 3 months, Y proficiency in 6 months, and so on.
Goals should push you, but also be realistic based on the difficulty of the skill and your schedule. Don’t frustrate yourself trying to master advanced skills without the fundamentals. Remember that meaningful learning takes time.
Make a Study Schedule and Stick to It
Consistency is absolutely vital, even if you can only dedicate smaller chunks of time per week. Set up a routine by designating set days/times each week for skill development. Treat skill work like any other important calendar appointment. Consistency establishes habits and progress.
Try to avoid long gaps away from practice, as you will backslide. You can supplement more intensive blocks of study with shorter, regular practice. Also re-evaluate your schedule and adjust time allotted as needed.
Gather the Proper Resources and Materials
Having reputable, up-to-date resources is key for correct guidance. Seek out well-reviewed books, e-books, online courses, video tutorials, blogs, podcasts and other materials geared specifically to self-study. Invest in your learning.
For technical/software skills, take advantage of official documentation, communities, and tutorials provided. Reach out to skilled friends or mentors who can point you to their favorite resources. Google searches will yield endless options – go with reputable, current sources.
Find a Community of Others Learning the Skill
Connecting with others who are also building competency provides collaboration, motivation, and accountability. Relevant online communities, in-person meetup groups, cohorts, and classes offer built-in ways to engage. Sharing challenges and wins with like-minded learners keeps you motivated.
If you have a friend interested in the same skill, propose that you learn together and support each other’s progress. Shared knowledge and regular check-ins strengthen commitment. You may also identify a mentor proficient in the skill that can provide guidance on your work.
Be Patient with Yourself Through the Learning Process
Learning curves exist for a reason, and significant skills take serious time and effort to develop – often hundreds of hours for proficiency. As a beginner, you may feel clumsy, inaccurate, and generally unskilled – that’s completely normal! Recognize your stage in the process and celebrate small wins and signs of progress.
For complex skills, it may take months of practice before concepts click. Break skills into simpler component parts and master each piece before combining. Resist comparing yourself to experts – focus on your own growth and avoid frustration. Trust that with dedicated practice, your skills will blossom.
Keep Growing: Learn New Skills at Any Age or Stage
In our rapidly changing world, the future belongs to the lifelong learners who never stop expanding their skills and abilities. While learning something new takes time and commitment, it remains one of the most worthwhile investments you can make in yourself at any career or life stage.
Now is the ideal time to take stock of where you want to grow and identify a skill to challenge yourself. Do not let perceived obstacles like time, cost or self-doubt stop you from pursuing something that sparks curiosity. With grit and determination, you can achieve more than you realize.
The benefits of newly acquired skills compound over the years in the form of new possibilities, accomplishments, and self-confidence. Look at learning as a lifelong journey. Maintaining skills also takes continual effort – there is always more room to grow. By committing now to continuous learning, you ensure you will thrive in work and life for decades to come. The future favors the curious. What will you start learning next?