I was doing some planning tonight over a cup of coffee, when something struck me.

I’m launching more consulting programs and seminars, internationally, yet I haven’t made a commitment to learning additional languages.

How could I overlook something so obvious?

Then, it occurred to me that I haven’t made this commitment because I’ve failed to adopt a Personal Learning Program. It has been a while since I earned my last degree, so I’ve been in a state of suspended animation when it comes to systematic knowledge acquisition.

Of course this is like the shoemaker who has no time to fix his kids’ soles. Here I am, a proponent of lifelong learning, yet I’ve somehow strayed from that path, myself.

I don’t want to overstate this. I have kept up with my fields of endeavor, and I’ve continued to do research and to write, all of which involves learning.

Yet, still, these activities are not he same as having a Personal Learning Program in place.

To me, this is a plan for general self-improvement through study. There can be a monetary or professional payoff in it, but really, the main goal is GROWTH as a thinking, creative being.

Such a program won’t just happen. It needs to be planned and executed.

If, for any reason, you’ve been feeling vaguely unfulfilled, this could be the reason, or better yet, the answer!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, “The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable,” published by Nightingale-Conant. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, a Loyola lawyer, and an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations from Santa Monica to South Africa. He holds the rank of Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

For information about coaching, consulting, training, books, videos and audios, please go to: http://www.customersatisfaction.com