Once again, Santa Monica Boulevard is clogged with a (literally) endless column of traffic. A snaking serpent, slowly slithering forward. And I battle this ugly relentless beast daily. Fighting the traffic-demon morning and night as I journey to-and-from my west side office. Tearing my hair out in unabated torment.

LA traffic is a B*tch.

There’s really no other way to say it. The highways and byways (AKA surface streets and so-called “free”ways) of Los Angeles are choked. Filled, 24hrs a day, with an endless glut of steel, plastic and rubber.
But after nearly 20 years in Lala Land, I’ve finally discovered a remedy. An anti-road rage medication of sorts. And the results are nothing shy of truly miraculous.

Road Rage Remedy

I’ve stopped tearing my hair out in frustrated disgust over the unbearable traffic I face in my daily commute. In fact, my new meds have allowed me to use the often lengthy intervals of traffic-bound gridlock to my advantage.
And since this new course of road rage antibiotics, my perspective has completely changed. The time spent in grueling my commute no longer feels wasted. And it’s begun to slip by faster than ever.
The cure?
Audio books (and Podcasts, too) on CD, Audible and iTunes.
But there’s hidden benefit in all of this. Ahh yes, gotta love the hidden benefit!

Leveraging Gridlock to Promote Life Long Learning

Continuing success (that’s Success with a capital “S”) in marketing, business and life stems from one thing: Learning.
Knowledge is power. Power acquired through learning. The world’s greatest minds and most successful people all laud the interminable value of Life Long Learning.

No Time for Book Learnin’

As adults, far past our school daze, books become our teachers. But most of us are consumed by the demands of our daily lives. Wives and children and family obligations and jobs and running your own businesses devour every moment of our time. (Trust me, I know the drill.)
So where does reading fit in? (HINT: It Doesn’t. Sadly…)

Reading With Your Ears

Fortunately, you don’t have to read to read these days. That’s right! Most books now available in “audio” format on CD, iTunes or Audible.com. So wherever you happen to be, you can read with your ears.
An avid (attempted) reader, I usually have two or three books going at any moment. But with so little time to read, it seems to take me FOREVER to finish anything. Yet since the dawn of my Audio Book awakening, just over 18 months ago, I’ve tripled my reading output.

And this niffy time hack extends way beyond the car.

There are countless (wasted) moments in your everyday life where you catch up on a little reading. The gym. Gardening. Cleaning out the garage. Ignoring your wife and kids (just kidding…sort of). And so on…
If you haven’t already tapped into this invaluable lifelong learning resource, I HIGHLY recommend you check it out.

Resources

Your local library has TONS of audio books on CD. That’s a great place to start.
Audible.com (by Amazon) is another great source. Download the app and install on your smart phone and then setup a membership. Annual memberships are $180. Or you can pay about $30 monthly (the first month is $15). You get a credit for on book a month, plus member a discount on additional books. Prices range from $5 – $20. But most are in the $12-$15 range. And if you’ve got Bluetooth in your car or home, you can broadcast from your phone.
iTunes also offers audio books. You buy through iTunes and download to your phone, iPod or iPad and listen. Prices range from $15-$30. iTunes also works in your car or home via Bluetooth.
You can also buy audio books on CD through Amazon. This is by far the most expensive option. Most audio books start around $30. And many are $60+.
P.S. My audio revelation has book expanded my reading repertoire. My reading has extending beyond the latest must read business book and trashy genre fiction (the two most likely suspects in my physical media book library).
Biographies, historical texts and self-help books have all entered the fray. And interestingly enough, it’s often when I veer off this well-worn path that I discover real gems.
Books that contribute to my life long education in ways I would never had imagined. And my marketing education in particular.
The next couple of weeks posts based are on knowledge culled from some surprising texts.

What About You?

Marketing, education and audio books… What say you? Join the conversation on my Google+ page.