Always a student

Written By Phil Pallen
 

How do you sustain a career? How you keep yourself relevant year after year?

When I interviewed Walter Afanasieff recently, I was fascinated to find out that he still takes piano lessons. I have known Walter for over 20 years and he is an amazing pianist who can really sit down and play anything. And yet he still feels it necessary to take lessons. He feels it’s important to keep himself challenged.

I have found throughout my life, that something that many of the most successful people have in common is that they are great ’students of Life.’ They know how important it is in order to continue evolving and developing. Often, the most paralyzing things to one's life are a resistance to change, refusal to go the extra mile, or hosting an ego that won’t allow room for improvement.

Knowing you don’t know everything can really free up the space in your mind to imagine new things into your life. When integrated with what you already know, it can lead to so many possibilities.

Being a committed and constant student assures a future. Not learning anything new leaves you standing where you are.

 
Phil Pallen

I'm Phil Pallen, a brand and AI strategist who has spent 15 years helping small businesses figure out who they are, say it clearly, and show up consistently. About six years ago, I started creating content on the side as a way to teach strategy and tools to people who wanted to build their brands themselves. That side project now makes up 80% of what I do, and it has given me hands-on experience with hundreds of tools, partnerships with over 150 brands including Adobe, and a clear sense of what actually works for small businesses.

I have delivered keynote speeches on five continents, written AI for Small Business, and created Brandmasters, a private membership community for small business owners serious about their brand.

I am not just someone who talks about this stuff. I live it, test it, and teach it every day.


Find me at philpallen.co or @philpallen on social media.

https://www.philpallen.co
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