Earl Nightingale was a pioneer in personal development. He is credited with the idea that anyone who devotes and hour a day to study in their chosen field can become a national expert in that field within 5 years. This was back in the day when resources were largely in print. So that meant actually having to go somewhere and get a physical object to read...sounds crazy I know! But it could be done.
But how does one find the time? Just get up an hour earlier, or stay up an hour later. It sounds so simple because it is! Quick math: five hours a day, five days a week for three years is 780 hours of devoted study. That's 19.5 work weeks devoted to something you might actually have an interest in or can turn into additional income.
Now make that hour count. Be deliberate about when you use it. Maximize your study time be doing it when you're most focused and productive. For me that's first thing in the morning (4am). My dog is not even up. Knocking out my personal study time in the morning also gives me a great sense of accomplishment to ride out the rest of the day.
If you commute or travel find a good podcast. You just doubled your study time!
Another tip is to plan your power hour in advance. Take fifteen minutes before bedtime to make a list of what you want to accomplish. Your subconscious mind will start working on it while you sleep. Let's face it, with the availability of information now there is no excuse for not getting started - just start with a Google search - having a list or plan for each day will help avoid chasing internet butterflies.
Things are things I've implemented and find value in. Try it for yourself. Try something.
Photo Credit : Jonas Svidras via Unsplash