These are the four skills that will get you from where you are to where you want to be:

  1. Reading
  2. Writing
  3. Speaking
  4. Listening

We know how to use each of these to an extent, but you’d be surprised to learn how few actually take the time to improve on them. We’re often caught up on current events in our lives that we tend to forget about the basics.

Being skilled in reading, depending on your vocation, allows you to get ahead of your peers by absorbing more information in less time. You’ll actually find joy in reading because of how easy it comes to you. We also know that leaders are readers.

Being skilled in writing allows you to get your messages and ideas across in a quicker, simpler way. When it comes to writing, we write more than necessary. Becoming a skilled writer will garner attention from your bosses and depend on you more often which increases your chances of moving up the ladder. Do I even need to explain how crucial it is to become a skilled writer while in college? If you’re in college, being an effective writer will work wonders for your future. Who knows, you might even want to take a shot at writing a book.

Being skilled in speaking allows you to become more confident when you need to say something. It’s not surprising that this skill is forgotten about considering that we mindlessly use it every day. But can you imagine how amazing you’re life would be if you took the time to practice and improve your speaking skills? By the end of your training, you’ll be oozing confidence every time you talk to someone. Once you gain confidence in your speaking skills, you might want to take a shot at public speaking. Public speakers can get paid pretty well.

Becoming skilled in listening opens your world to new ideas and even greater opportunities. This skill is by far the most important skill out of the four because it encompasses all that we know. You need to listen if you want to graduate from school and you need to listen if you want to do well at your vocation. Listening is the most ignored and neglected skill, but it shouldn’t be. Without listening, messages will be misunderstood, chaos will arise, and all hell will break loose. One easy, simple way to know if you’re a good listener is when listening to someone. When someone is speaking to you, are you thinking of a response, or are you actually thinking carefully about what they are saying? If you’re a good listener, others would come to you when they need someone to listen to them.

Learn to listen so that you can listen to learn.

TAKEAWAY: Learn to read, write, speak, and listen effectively. Once you become skilled in all four, your life will be much simpler.

Here is my inspiration for the day.