Row Upstream

By Susan Goodsell - Apr 27 , 2009

A Chinese Proverb states,

Learning is like rowing upstream: not to advance is to drop back.

Believing in and committing to lifelong learning is a hallmark of successful people in all professions, but to those in the book industry lifelong learning is unarguably an absolute necessity. We must constantly improve our skills and learn new ones. Having a culture of education as a core value will bring increased success to you not just professionally, but also personally.

So what do we do to “row upstream?” Four things:

1. Read Daily. You can start right here: there’s a scintillating myriad of articles on Beneath the Cover specifically for the book industry. You are in the industry and profession of writing, so read others written words each and every day. Read for pleasure, for technical skills, for the pure love of the written word. Follow favorite authors and seek out new ones. Read those you agree with and, equally important, those whose opinions are different from yours.

Stretch yourself. Read with an open mind. Check your ego. Put prejudices and pre-conceived notions aside when you read. Take in other writers’ thoughts from a variety of sources, without censor, knowing that it quite literally takes only one new, great idea to change your life forever.

2. Practice, practice, practice! You can’t learn to drive a car just by reading a book; you have to climb behind the wheel. The more you put into practice all the ideas you get, the more you’ll feel comfortable with the process.

One quote to keep in mind: “When you are not practicing, remember—–someone, somewhere, is practicing, and when you meet him, he will win” (All-Star basketball great, Ed Macauley). Practicing your writing skills positions you ahead of your competition. It can gain you credibility in the industry and also lead to new jobs from unexpected sources.

Surround yourself with others who believe in education, and consider finding an accountability partner to keep you on track.

3. Seek out reputable training programs and workshops. If you think you cannot afford to put money into continuing education and training, keep in mind that the real expense is not learning—–and then calculate what that would cost you in the long run. Don’t get so bogged down working in the business of writing that you neglect to work on the business of writing.

Check out your local business development center for workshops, mentoring, and in-depth training. Find someone who has achieved success in what you want to do and ask to interview them. Attend a writers’ workshop. Remember, your very best idea may not come from the program at all, but from another attendee. Go to conferences. You will always come away with at least one nugget, generally more, that quite literally helps you solve a problem, work more effectively, or changes your business and/or personal life for the better.

Step outside your comfort zone. Learn about things you think you’d never ‘get’ or have never been exposed to. Drawing on these experiences and new-found knowledge can only be useful in your writing. In fact, it will give you a competitive edge.

4. Follow your interests. It’s not all about work and technical writing skills! What have you always wanted to learn more about but not had the time or opportunity to delve into?

Personally, I have been interested in Buddhism for quite some time and put that on my list of those things I wanted to learn about. I finally read a few books, looked up recommended websites, and even connected with some practitioners of Buddhism. And though I am still very much just scratching the surface in knowledge of Buddhism, some of the teachings actually helped get me through a very unexpected divorce from a place of calm rather than chaos.

Knowledge is like a piñata—–you never know where a thread will take you and which ribbon pulled will release a plethora of pleasant surprises and unexpected goodies!

Back to our Chinese Proverb as it relates to rowing upstream—Sometimes rowing is effortless, the stream calm, and gaining new skills happens seemingly almost by accident. Other times it is, quite simply, hard work. That’s okay too. Anything worth learning is worth putting forth effort. The way to grow a muscle is to flex it, and then keep flexing it.

As a professional in the book industry, lifelong learning will continually sharpen and hone your book industry skills. If you stay where you are, if you stop rowing, you truly do “drop back.”

Believing in lifelong learning and committing to it

—–the best idea you’ve ever had.
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Susan M. Goodsell is a referral marketing professional, trainer, and author, based in Southern California. She is Executive Director and owner of BNI Riverside & San Bernardino Counties, CA, and her focus is helping entrepreneurs and business owners reach higher levels of success through word-of-mouth marketing.