Here we are at the beginning of a new year and there’s a feeling of resolutions and commitments and doing something better this year. I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions or obligations, but I do think it’s a good time to talk about what’s missing and how we can get better.
So what do you need to learn this year?
I want to learn more about journalism. Here I am, running a local news site, and I’ve taken all of one journalism class in my life. Big questions and challenges come up, and I feel like I’m missing out on some of the answers. Not that I expect a webinar or a book to give me all the answers, but it’s more about being aware of the conversation. There’s some debate I never experienced, and I think it could give me some help. And yeah, there are probably some practical tips and tools I could pick up as well.
We could all learning something. Figure out what it is you need to do your job better, and then make a plan to learn it.
I’m a big believer in learning on the job. It’s how I got started and how a freelance living worked for me. But sometimes you need to be more intentional about your education. When I started freelancing, I did take a business class to shore up an area where I was lacking.
So figure out what type of education is most appropriate, whether it’s going back to school in a formal program or it’s a webinar or a few books.
Then get yourself to school and learn something new.