 Indeed, you have heard the advice, go to school, get good grades, get a degree or a diploma. You'll be guaranteed success in life, but then the best things in life are those that are overlooked and in most cases free. All they require is your time, dedication and perseverance. In this video, I will share with you 7 skills that take time to acquire but are valuable forever. 1. Being present Living in the present moment is a term we use a lot these days, but most people do not have an idea what it truly means to live in the present. Many people, especially young people, assume that living in the present means being wasteful and reckless. However, what being in the present entails is having full concentration on an activity so that your thoughts do not wander. A study conducted by psychologist Matthew A. Killinsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert of Harvard University used an iPhone web app to gather 250,000 data points on subjects thoughts, feelings and actions as they went about their daily lives. The survey results showed that 47% of the time people are thinking about something other than what they are currently doing. The state that we have become used to is a state where our thoughts are either of the past, what could have been, what you thought happened, versus what did happen, or of the future, what will be, what could be, what might be, all of which is removed from where we are and what is happening, thus making us only half alive most of the time. This habit takes the enjoyment away from the present moment. Although it is quite challenging to cultivate consciousness, it is a skill that if acquired has numerous benefits in the long run. Learning a new language Learning a second language is a practical and rewarding use of your time that helps to keep you mentally sharp. When learning a new language, you gain more than a different way of expressing yourself. A whole new way of thinking an invaluable insight into another culture that can benefit you in your career and personal life. Studies have found that speaking two or more languages is a great asset to the cognitive process because the brains of bilingual people operate in a way that offers several mental benefits. If speaking a new language has so much interest, how come not everyone is bilingual? Well, learning a new language is quite tasking, especially when you are grown up. In new research it was discovered that adults famously find language learning more difficult than children because children have super flexible brains that build the connections necessary to acquire an additional language. Learning a new language is hard because it challenges both your mind that is your brain which has to construct new cognitive frameworks and time. It requires sustained consistent practice. Learning a unique communication style means stretching your brain out of the comfort of the language it understands into a different path. However, if you can learn new languages, you are advantaged. As you possess a better job and travel opportunity. 3. Public speaking If you want to have an impact on your work, your community or even on a more comprehensive open platform, you must learn to speak up in public. When you are given an opportunity or impromptu call to speak in front of other people, how do you feel? Do you wish for the ground to just open and swallow you? Well, you are not alone on that. That shows that the phobia for public speaking is the most common fear among people across culture with over 70% of the world's population suffering from it. This means that people are scared of speaking in public then they are afraid of death. But then again, public speaking is a skill that can be learned. With coaching and practice, you can overcome the fear of public speaking and become an excellent speaker as many thousands have done before you. One investor, business tycoon and philanthropist and the world's fourth richest man Warren Buffett said this about public speaking. You have got to be able to communicate in life and it's enormously important. Schools, to some extent, under emphasize speaking. But if you can't communicate and talk to other people and get across your ideas, you are given up your potential. 4. Marketing skills While marketing or company's products or services has always been a highly sought after skill in today's world, it can take on several different forms. Marketing went from just creating physical awareness to newspaper, TV and radio advertisements. Right now we are in the era of digital marketing. Some of the marketing skills that are highly sought after today include search engine optimization, search engine marketing, Facebook campaigns, email marketing and other marketing campaign management. Being familiar with tools like Google Analytics, Google AdSense as well as WordPress are also valuable. While traditional marketing and branding were focused on advertising and selling, almost all marketing efforts these days are focused on the internet. Indeed, mastering these skills takes lots of time, money and dedication. However, being an expert puts you in an advantageous position over other companies if you are a business owner and over the tons of job seekers out there if you are a job seeker. 5. Financial literacy Many people have been dragged down the ladder of financial freedom because of the lack of proper financial knowledge. Financial literacy is the ability to understand and adequately apply financial management skills. Effective financial planning, properly managing debt, accurately calculating interest and understanding the time value of money are characteristics of being financially literate. The higher up the ladder you go, the more you will have to deal with things like accounting, budgeting, financial planning and cash flow management. While you may not need to be an expert at all of these, you should have a good grasp of all of them. This is where taking a few night classes at your local community college is a good idea. When a person does not learn to be financially disciplined from a young age, it is often difficult to understand how finance works at a growth age. However, understanding how money works can help a person develop a financial roadmap to identify what he earns, what he spends and what he owes. It can lead you to the path of financial independence and keep you there. 6. Data management All companies today deal with tons of data. Being able to manage that data efficiently is not only highly priced but a necessity. We all have these things on our desks called computers. Unless there is a need for a paper copy, almost all of our data is computerized. Meaning that, in theory, it is all at our fingertips. But how do your files appear on your desktop, scattered or properly arranged in folders? Being able to organize that data so that it is easily and quickly retrievable is why computers are replacing filing cabinets. However, just like the old-fashioned filing cabinet, data management on a computer is only good if it is well organized. A machine is not just used to store data. You want to make sure that you are keeping your data well organized so that it is easy to find when needed. Data management is a skill that comes easily to some people, especially those who are physically held. But with a whole, it will be a skill that needs to be practiced. Besides, data management also requires the knowledge of specific software packages, such as MSXL, AXS, SQL, etc. Nevertheless, understanding data management and being able to handle it properly means bigger and better opportunities today as well as tomorrow's workplace. 7. Emotional Intelligence, EQ EQ is the something in each of us that is a bit intangible. It affects how we manage our emotions, navigate social complexities, and make personal decisions. A person with a high EQ can recognize and understand feelings in him or her and others, as well as being able to use this awareness to manage behavior and relationships. Decades of research now point to emotional intelligence as a critical factor that sets star performers apart from the rest of the pack. A smart-tested EQ alongside 33 other essential workplace skills and found that EQ is the strongest predictor of performance, explaining a full 58% of success in all types of jobs. Of all the people that were studied at the work, it was found that 90% of top performers have a high EQ. On the flip side, just 20% of the bottom performers are high in EQ. Even a high EQ requires a high level of intentionality and consistency, but its long-term rewards are tremendous. You can be a top performer without a high EQ, but a chant is a slim. Naturally, people with a high degree of EQ make more money, an average of $29,000 more per year than people with a low degree of emotional intelligence. The link between EQ and earnings is so direct that every point increase in EQ adds $1,300 to an annual salary. Increasing your EQ will not only pad your bank account, it will make you happier and less stressed and also aid you to build lasting relationships. Once you acquire them, they stick with you for your entire life and you will continuously improve the quality of your existence. Although they are challenging to master, if you do, the rewards are endless.