Ignorance may be bliss, but it was never the road to wealth and well
being. It was never the answer to society's problems. And never,
ever the path to success. Education is the key to moving toward your
goals. It doesn't have to mean a formal education at a University.
Even those lucky ones with diplomas in hand understand that real
success means staying in the learning curve. Being teachable.

Powerful people across the globe agree that to stay on the cutting
edge you must take time to learn and grow within your industry. Brian
Tracey, the great motivational speaker, suggests taking one hour a
day to read a book, a trade magazine, or a newsletter that will teach
you something new in your field. Interestingly enough, this is the
one area many entrepreneurs feel they don't have time. Too many things
to do for a one man show. But just like exercise keeps your body
in top form, learning keeps you ahead of your competition. How can
you stay ahead if you don't stay informed?

So devote an hour to your future with a little education to keep
you at the top of your field. Here are a few things you can do:

1. Subscribe to online newsletters that educate. Many quality newsletters
online are rich in information and keep you up to date weekly. Pick
a few to read on a regular basis. Resist the temptation to subscribe
to everything in your field. This can become overwhelming and the
newsletters usually end out being filed into a folder never to be
read again. Learning to recognize that you are indeed a busy entrepreneur
will help you to be selective. There are hundreds of ezine directories
online from which to learn about the best newsletters.

2. Order E-books from the leaders online. Many of the top leaders
online that would charge thousands of dollars for consultations also
offer E-books that range in price from $30 to $100. This is the best
of the best information from great minds that have valuable resources
to share with you. Just make sure that the E-books are indeed written
by people in the know.

3. Buy a book a month from your favorite bookstore. One informative,
educational book a month is twelve months of education that will serve
you well. Set goals to read during your one hour a day and to apply
a principle a week. This one little technique will expand your business
one hundred fold!

4. Listen while you work. Audio tapes can be the single best learning
device for busy entrepreneurs. Just plug the tape in while your driving,
cooking dinner, or doing mundane business chores that don't really
take your brain to accomplish. This is like doubling up your time.
Audio tapes are available on almost any subject and many books are
converted to audio tapes for easy learning where ever you happen to
be.

Set goals for your education so that you are always moving forward
and ahead of the competition. Take the time to learn about new products
and services that you might add to your selection of current offerings.
This strengthens you in the market place. If all else fails, study
your competition. They can often be the best teachers and motivators