423 Ways to Sharpen Your Saw

What does a sharp saw have to do with lifelong learning? For all you "Covey fans," you know Dr. Steven Covey coined the phrase "sharpen the saw" in his highly acclaimed book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

I think about a saw sharpener as a complicated device that I would never be able to use. Doing an image search on "saw sharpener" on Google shows 423 different pictures of saw sharpening devices that require you to know various things and exert various amounts of effort to "sharpen a saw" in the traditional sense.

There are at least 423 ways to keep your saw sharp by continuously learning. Here are a few of the most helpful ones.

1. Join a professional organization and use their training outlets. - You may already be part of an organization like Toastmasters, a writer’s workshop, or any other organization. If you’re not sure, ask an expert how they’ve done what they do, and then do copy that. You're not a copy cat: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!
2. Pursue an advanced degree. - What about getting an MBA or masters in something job related? Maybe that's just what you need to advance up the ranks and to stay sharp in your current job. There are so many different resources available to you now, some online, some traditional, some that blend the two, and definitely you can find something that will fit in your schedule if traditional schooling is for you.
3. Get a certification - For others, an industry-specific certification is all that’s needed to stay sharp. Just like a traditional college, you can do self-paced study or take a class online to get the certification you need to move up.
4. Use your company’s training. - Many companies offer excellent in-house training. What have you got to lose by talking to your manager, supervisor, or HR department about the classes that might be available to you at your current level? Maybe you can get a few great ideas, and if it's at your employer, chances are your employer will pay for these classes AND give you time to complete the course.
5. Read a book or a website that’s topic specific to what you want to learn.- Looking for a good book or a perfect website? Ask an authority in your field! There are so many great books published every year, you’re bound to find one or two that suit your needs. And the web is full of things to help you learn more about what you need to know.
6. Find a mentor - This is something you can do anytime, no matter what your station in life. Find someone in your company who knows what you need to know and ask them some questions. Buy them a cup of coffee or lunch and pick their brain. Nobody at work you trust? Look online and e-mail an expert. You’d be surprised at how many people are willing to help, if you just ask them.
7. Join an online community - This was recommended by my good friend Rosa Say from an online community I am a part of...Joyful Jubilant Learning. Joining an online community is an easy, and affordable (often FREE) way to get to know people who you can help, and who can help you achieve more. The Joyful Jubilant Learning community is comprised of other online publishers who have banded together to share our knowledge, our network, and our love.

What are YOUR favorite tips to help us never stop the learning? Please leave them below in the comments, so we can learn from each other!

Comments

[Rosa Say]

Mmmm... Covey really did coin a great phrase with "Sharpen the Saw" and his 7th habit Phil, and you have brought back all kinds of word associations for me with your posting - several "make it great" thoughts here!

I've always thought of sharpening the saw as "going to the well" and looking inward to what triggers your spirit, so that it comes out to play outward too. What I like about your list is that it points to several roads we can take in starting the process, one that truly gets to be about enlarging our capacity, living with abundance.

This is a terrific kick in the you-know-where to start my day with!

[Miguel Wickert (Pineiro)]

sorry, my comment is not in regard to your post. I just wanted to let you know, I found your site because of Troy Worman. Also, I subscribed to your site. Thanks!

[Tammy Lenski]

Phil! I was thinking about Covey's sharpen the saw about an hour ago, then I open my feed reader and there you are! Whoa.

I'll add this to your list: Follow a blog on a topic that's intriguing but about which you know little. I change the topics periodically to keep it interesting. My current pick is Japan's pingmagMAKE (http://make.pingmag.jp/), which I've found I love so much I read every word of every post. And I'm learning the whole time!

[Jennifer]

Great Suggestions Phil.

Subscribing to some great newsletters is a great way I have found to sharpen my saw.

And of course, I love your suggestion to read great books from the experts. I work to provide all the best from the personal growth experts available on my website www.empoweredreader.com

[Kent Blumberg]

Tagging on Tammy's idea, I'd add "write a blog." No better way to learn than to write about a subject for a public. I, for one, don't want to sound like a total dork (I'm usually going for about 35% dork when I write). So I study, read, ask questions before I write.

Kent

[Rocky]

I agree with the responses of the readers.Reading and writing for blogs are excellent ways to learn. I like reading books and watching educationaltelevision and watching movies based on true stories. The reader that commented bout newsletters was right on target as well. There are so many ways and the internet has really expanded this whole area.Podcast and blogtalk is cool. Very interesting subject.

[DanGTD]

Great article.

I always feel more productive if I take a break, completely detached and relaxed. This is for me "Sharpenning the saw"

Dan
http://www.gtdagenda.com

[Gary]

Thanks Phil for using my swiss army knife picture on your blog, I feel honored.