Never Stop Learning as an Entrepreneur

Despite having a very busy schedule to oversee his business groups’ strategic decision makings and operational activities, Sukanto Tanoto never stops learning and would always spend three weeks a year to take courses in top business schools around the world.

He has left his footprints in Harvard, Stanford, Wharton and Chicago University. For more than 30 years, Sukanto Tanoto has kept up his pursuit of knowledge, his habit of buying books, and his practice of learning in top universities. “All of them are driving forces for Sukanto Tanoto to keep his thoughts fresh and preserve his vigor.”

He did this in order to continuously improve himself in order to better prepare himself for future changes be it in business world or outside business world. According to ziombio.com, “one of the most important things in my career is to keep learning about professionalism” said Sukanto Tanoto.

When Sukanto Tanoto was younger, he had a dream to be a doctor. He did not have the privilege to chase after his dream due to his poor family background. However, that did not stop him from asking questions in school because he believes that keeping silent will only act as a detriment to his learning is he is in doubt of anything. He also believes in acting quickly to amend his mistakes so that he can pick himself up to be a better person later on.

As an entrepreneur, the willingness to always improve oneself is very important. This applies to all areas of one’s life, be it personal improvements or business continuous improvements. With the fast changing environment, whoever lags in improving and adapting to the change will lose out in the battle of the fittest. Sukanto Tanoto believes that there is no such thing as ‘cannot find the time’, because time is not meant to be found but to be created. If an entrepeneur is serious about something, he or she should create the time to do the important things.