Sometimes we forget how easy our access to education is. We’re nearly mandated to finish high school and most of us go on to college. We take online courses and there’s tons of programs offering free workshops and lessons. It’s definitely nothing like Iran where women are repressed and mullets are illegal. A lot of people can’t wait to finish and get that diploma, but education isn’t about jumping a final hurdle – it’s a lifelong pursuit.

I can only speak for myself, but my mind gets stale when I stop learning. Science chimes in to tell us the brain atrophies like a muscle, so maybe that’s why I feel the most creative and have my best ideas when I’m reading a lot (that shit is crazy) or taking a class. As someone who hadn’t taken a legit class in over 4 years, I was nerding out pretty hard when I decided to try an urban planning class at UCSD. And while I didn’t look forward to writing my final paper and presentation, I relished meeting in the classroom for intellectual discussions. What it did was allow me to think about the world from a new perspective. I think it’s very similar to the idea that you are only as creative as the people you surround yourself with. You’ll only be creative if you keep exposing yourself to new ideas and experiences.

It doesn’t really matter how you do it. It could be a class, but it could also be finding hobbyists or a meetup group. Find someone that knows something you don’t and exchange your expertise. One of the most important things is to not let your career completely dictate what you learn. While it’s great to justify that a class or certification you paid for led to a promotion or raise – if something excites you, just go for it because you’ll never know where it leads. It could mean a career change, meeting awesome new people or an odyssey around the world. And when it comes down to it, investing in you is never a waste of time or money.

Ready for some action? Be sure to check out:
San Diego Continuing Education – 1,400+ free classes
Your Public Library – Get lost in the stacks
Meetup – Find other people with your interests and learn together

Need more reminders? View the whole How To Be Creative series here.