I will never forget the time I popped my first personal development audio cassette into my deck fourteen years ago.  To say it had a major impact on my life would be an understatement.  That one recording opened my eyes (and ears!) to a whole new world of “self education.”  I became a junkie.  It developed into a habit that continues to this day: listening to the wisdom of others in an attempt to increase my own.

I really don’t feel like this technique gets enough coverage in today’s chatter about self-development and leadership training.  Most of what we learn will have to be intentional, and I can think of no better, more convenient, more osmotic method of doing that than getting in the habit of listening to educational recordings on a habitual basis; not just frequently, not once in a while, not when you feel like it, but constantly and with a fervor.

Listening to audio recordings of people who were in life where I wanted to be pushed me to learn what they knew.  It pushed me to muster the courage to do what they had done.  And it taught me to communicate and speak myself. 

I can remember things I heard over a decade ago on a recording like it was yesterday.  I can quote speakers and authors by the hundreds.  I can ask myself positive, goal-oriented, productive questions based upon principles I learned from listening with a hunger.  And I have scores of techniques readily at my disposal, like a quiver full of arrows, based on things I heard over and over again on professional development audio recordings.  I will forever be indebted to those individuals who unknowingly taught me a literal “wealth of information.”

What about you?

Are you giving yourself an abundant diet of positive, specific, edifying, uplifting, applicable, relevant, courage and attitude-building audio recordings?  Do you listen to them every day?  Is it a habit?  Is it a love?  Is it one of your favorite things to do?  If not, you may be missing out on one of the most enjoyable and rewarding educations you could ever receive. 

Just try it.  Subscribe to whatever fits your needs the best (may I suggest LIFE materials, both specific and generic, available at www.mainhomepage.com for starters?).  Listen to them over and over, not just for the entertainment value, but to make a deep impression on your thinking and attitude.  I don’t know how to overemphasize it, but I do know this: take away the educational listening I’ve done for the past fourteen years and you would take away all that I have accomplished.  It all arose in one way or another from the listening I did to my “electronic mentors.” 

Do it.  For your own sake.  Begin listening and learning today.  And if you have done this in the past but drifted away from it, get a hold of yourself!  What are you thinking!?  (Just kidding).  Get re-involved in the intentional improvement of your life.  You will never regret it.