As Regional Director for Business for Breakfast I travel around Cheshire and Merseyside helping other businesses to generate new business through referral marketing and professional development. This affords me a lot of time when I’m commuting to venues and groups. When I’m making my usual journeys, I attend my Mobile University along the way.
My Mobile University is as Tony Robbins puts it, NET time; ‘no extra time’, is the disused time spent in another unproductive activity, often commuting or travelling and turning it into more productive time.
I’ve been a graduate of the Mobile University for over a decade and my lecture theatre is the front seat of my car, train or other modes of transport. I use this time to develop new skills and knowledge and to enhance my personal development and growth. This, in turn, helps me assist my BforB members and wider professional network by putting these new skills to better use. Travelling last week, I spent around 10 hours in lectures on journeys and clock up hundreds of hours each year.
Whether it’s a seminar on sales & marketing, a motivational speech, the subjects of communication, influence, neuroscience, or psychology. I’m always learning and gaining valuable insights on the move. During the past 12 months alone, I have probably acquired more useful knowledge than my entire high school education by making use of NET time and turning it into something productive. I currently have more seminars, workshops and business-related audio than music in my iTunes library.
I believe in lifelong learning because that’s what human beings are designed to do. From the moment we are born into this world our minds are constantly learning, a process that continues until the day we depart.
Most people’s learning stops after they leave high school, college or university. Yet it is the quality of information and the wealth of knowledge that you put inside your mind that has a direct relationship to the quality of your life or business. In this digital age, we now have a wealth of knowledge and resources at our fingertips that we are able to take advantage of to upskill ourselves and expand our knowledge.
You only have to look at the background of a majority of successful people, motivational speakers, and leading experts to find out a common theme. Before they made it (and after), they too had a thirst for knowledge and listened to motivational tapes, seminars, workshops or training on the move.
They gained valuable lessons that gave them additional resources which enabled them to make the kind of decisions that changed their lives and business or simply helped to enrich the lives of the people around them.
What are you going to do with your commuting time today? Listen to music and sing along in your mind or out-loud if you are more daring? Perhaps if you are on a train or bus you will catch up with Facebook or Twitter to see what your friends are having for dinner? Or like I have done for over two decades, you could perhaps seek out a new learning resource to teach you a new skill or to top-up your knowledge.
If you would like a chat about developing new business opportunities through referral marketing or your ongoing professional development call Business for Breakfast (BforB) on 0330 223 4025 and ask to speak with Steve Swift, or email us at steve.swift@bforb.co.uk
About Business for Breakfast (BforB)
Business for Breakfast (BforB) is the hardest working Business Networking Group in the UK. BforB is internationally recognised for creating successful networking meetings, events and training for referral marketing. We create an environment where you can build quality relationships within your group, backed up by an ongoing member support programme.
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