Education Outside the Classroom is Vital to Winning in Business

I always believe that education is an important driver of personal growth. In fact, in one of my lectures, I encourage my students to surround themselves with successful people, to learn what they can from their triumphs and hardships, and to read a lot in order to improve their skills and drive their passions.

I have had my share of difficulties. Arriving in this country from India, I spoke little English and I had zero knowledge about what it takes to be a successful businessman. I was able to make a breakthrough by simply feeding my mind with the words of famous authors. Today, I still make it a habit to open myself up to new ideas from people of different backgrounds and professions.

My experiences in this country have taught me one valuable lesson: the classroom is not the only source of education. I was an engineer in Bombay before I came to the United States. Due to my yearning to learn more about the real estate industry, I charted a different path. It was a forty-year learning experience, but I pulled through and now I am sharing what I know to people who want to make it big in multifamily syndication.

All it takes is a never ending desire to learn. Although spending four or five years in a college classroom can prepare you for your profession, it’s through experience that you are able to win in life. And this is a lesson that I always keep recalling whenever things get complicated.

Let me share to you some important habits in self-learning that you can apply as you pursue a lifetime of education.

Learn to stay motivated

NEVER GIVE UP! It’s always a phrase that life coaches and inspirational authors use every time. But it’s not because it’s cliche, but because it’s still an effective phrase you can use to stay motivated. As you go through the process of building the proper mindset in life, expect numerous challenges to come your way. You will begin feeling as if the journey isn’t worth continuing. At the end of the day, you will still find a reason to keep going. Whether you want to prove somebody wrong or simple desire to become a successful businessman, you can always find a motivation to keep moving if you never give up!

Learn from your failures

Nobody is perfect. Even if you spend a large portion of your life studying at Harvard, you still can’t avoid failing. However, failures are not there simply to slow us down. Failures, in fact, provide us an opportunity to become better individuals. It’s only a matter of looking past our mistakes and use the experience of failure to make better decisions in the future. As they all say, “Back to the drawing board!”

Learn to appreciate the little things

Hard work has its payoffs, but at times, we need a chance to loosen ourselves up. People are working round the clock to make sure they are getting closer to their goals. They tend to work so much that they begin to ignore the little things in life. Success becomes their priority to the extent that they devalue everything else. On the contrary, success should only be your goal, and not something your whole life should revolve around. As much as possible, find some time to spend with your family and friends. More importantly, remember to take a breather once in a while.

Learn to play fair

A successful person is someone who doesn’t take advantage of other people for personal gain. If you are in the world of business such as myself, you know too well that competition is a fact of life. You make it your mission to outrank your competitors, but you should do so in a way that’s fair. You wouldn’t know if your competitors will become your greatest ally in the future, so it’s best to play by the rules by simply being awesome in your own little way.

Learn to value the people that surround you

Make it a habit to appreciate those who have been by your side ever since you started building yourself up. Whether it’s your staff or your investors, the actions of these people have helped you realize your goals. A simple conversation over coffee can work wonders in showing your appreciation to those that have helped you succeed.

From these learnings, all I can say is that education is possible outside of the classroom. You only have to keep an open mind and be ready to encounter new experiences along the way.