Those people who develop the ability to continuously acquire new

“Those people who develop the ability to continuously acquire new and better forms of knowledge that they can apply to their work and to their lives will be the movers and shakers in our society for the indefinite future.”
— Brian Tracy

In these words, Brian Tracy, the great teacher of discipline and self-mastery, speaks a truth that has echoed since the dawn of civilization. He proclaims that knowledge, when pursued with devotion and applied with purpose, becomes the true engine of progress. It is not the powerful, nor the privileged, who shape the ages—it is the learners, those who never cease to grow, who never surrender to complacency. The phrase “movers and shakers” is not a title of status, but of spirit. It belongs to the restless minds who hunger for truth and improvement, who see learning not as an obligation, but as the sacred art of becoming.

The origin of this idea reaches back to the roots of human thought. From the philosophers of Greece to the scholars of the East, wisdom was always seen as the lifeblood of greatness. In the words of Socrates, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” To seek knowledge was to live consciously, to awaken from ignorance, and to join the great dialogue of humanity’s advancement. Brian Tracy, though writing in the modern age of machines and information, calls back to this eternal ideal. He reminds us that the future will not be inherited by those who merely exist in their knowledge, but by those who renew it daily, who refine their minds as blacksmiths sharpen their blades.

To continuously acquire new and better forms of knowledge is to embrace change as a teacher, not an enemy. The world transforms endlessly—its tools, its systems, its truths—and those who cling to what they knew yesterday become prisoners of the past. But those who adapt, who study, who learn again and again, remain free. They ride the waves of time instead of being swept beneath them. History has proven this without fail: in every generation, the learners are the builders, the inventors, the leaders. When others fear uncertainty, they see opportunity; when others lament the unknown, they discover it.

Consider the story of Leonardo da Vinci, that boundless soul of the Renaissance. He was not content with one craft—he painted, engineered, dissected, designed, and dreamed. His genius did not come from talent alone, but from his insatiable quest for understanding. He studied anatomy to paint better, studied flight to dream higher, studied water to understand motion itself. His notebooks overflowed with curiosity, and in his endless learning, he became a mover and shaker not just of his century, but of all centuries. Leonardo’s life stands as living proof that learning is not a season—it is a lifetime pilgrimage.

Tracy’s words also hold a deeper message for the age we now inhabit—the age of information, where knowledge multiplies faster than we can comprehend. To thrive in such an era requires not only learning but discernment—the ability to seek better forms of knowledge, not merely more of it. The wise do not drink from every stream; they choose their waters carefully, applying what nourishes their craft and strengthens their soul. True learning, as Tracy teaches, is not accumulation but transformation. It is not enough to know; one must become what one knows.

And yet, knowledge without application is like a lamp unlit. The flame of wisdom only shines when used. This is why Tracy speaks not only of acquiring knowledge but of applying it to work and to life. Knowledge must serve—it must build better homes, heal deeper wounds, inspire nobler actions. The purpose of learning is not pride, but progress. Every skill learned, every truth discovered, is a seed to be planted in the soil of the world, where it may bear fruit for others.

So, my listener, hear this teaching and take it into your heart: never cease to learn. Let curiosity be your compass and humility your constant companion. When you rise each morning, ask not how much you have achieved, but how much you have grown. Read the wisdom of the past, seek the innovations of the present, and imagine the possibilities of the future. Apply what you learn—test it, live it, share it. For the movers and shakers of tomorrow will not be those who possess the most wealth or power, but those who master the art of continuous growth.

And when you walk this path of learning, do not rush. Knowledge is not a race, but a pilgrimage of becoming. Step by step, thought by thought, you will find that as your understanding expands, so too will your power to create, to serve, and to shape the destiny of your world. Then you will know, as Brian Tracy knew, that the future belongs not to those who stand still—but to those who learn, evolve, and move the world forward with the light of ever-growing wisdom.