如何利用各种网络资源提升自己？

For most, the Internet has become a ubiquitous part of daily life. Many people work online all day and then spend evenings streaming movies. With the convenience of online banking, fewer customers step inside their local banks, while millions of shoppers make purchases without leaving home. And the Internet has replaced the phone as a quick way to stay in touch with family and friends.

对大部分人来说，网络已经是每日生活不可或缺的一部分。很多人白天在线上工作，晚上在网上看电影。网上银行的便利也使得越来越少的人真正走进当地的银行，而那些购物者们也习惯了足不出户的购物时光。与此同时，网络也逐渐取代电话，成为与家人好友联系的更快捷方式。

Of course, the Internet can do so much more than just bringing your favorite show to your big-screen TV. It's more than just a place to pay your electric bill and buy books. This incredible place called the World Wide Web is also a powerful tool for self-improvement. Here are five ways to make the Internet work for your self-improvement and growth:

网络并不仅仅是把喜欢的节目搬到大电视上哦，也不光是给你支付电子账单和买书的工具。这个叫做“万维网”的东西还是给你自我提升的绝好途径。我们一起看看可以利用网络进行自我提升的五个方法吧：

 

1. Searching for Information

找信息

Enter any topic of interest into your favorite search engine and, voila, you have an enormous amount of information at your fingertips. What a great way to further your knowledge on an endless variety of subjects. But how do you know whether the information you're reading is credible – or complete nonsense?

对任何一个你感兴趣的话题进行一下搜索吧，瞬间就会掌握大量这方面的信息。把自己的知识延展到不同的学科多棒呀！但怎么分辨你读的信息究竟是可信的还是无用的呢？

Check your sources. Find out who is publishing the information. Government agencies, universities or well-known publishing houses are generally trustworthy.

那就找一下源头，看看是谁发布了这个消息。政府机关、大学或知名出版社的都比较靠谱。

Check the publisher's motivation. Keep in mind that many articles are simply advertisements for businesses that want to sell you something. And some sites are intended to push just one point of view.

再看看发布人的目的是什么。要记住有些文章仅仅是为了商业广告，想卖给你东西。有些是想给别人洗脑。

 

2. Online Education and Training

线上教育和培训

If you've always wanted to further your education or upgrade your skills but haven't had the time, online courses may be the answer. Unlike with traditional brick-and-mortar schools, Internet-based learning eliminates the need for attending classes at specified times.

如果你想进一步发展学业提升技能却苦于没有时间，线上课程可以帮大忙。与传统的教学不同，线上教学不需要在指定的时间上课哦。

You may have concerns about the quality of online education. In fact, it has come a long way, and many who previously dismissed online learning have come to embrace it. Top-rated schools such as Stanford and Villanova University offer online professional certification and academic degree programs to students all over the world.

你也许担心线上教学的质量问题。实际上，这是由来已久的教学方式，那些原先抵制的人也开始接受它。像斯坦福和维拉诺瓦这样的名校给全世界的学生都提供专业的线上认证以及学术学位项目。

Ask yourself what your educational goals are: Do you want to pursue a degree or certificate, or just expand your knowledge? Do you want to advance in your career or become an expert on a particular subject? No matter your objective, there is probably an online education program to help you achieve it.

问问自己教育目标到底是什么：是为了文凭和证书，还只是为了扩大知识面？想升职还是成为某个领域的专家？无论你的目标是什么，线上教育都能满足你的需求。

 

3. Join an Influential Community

加入有影响力的社区

Every industry and discipline has its influencers – thought leaders to whom others look for inspiration and direction. The Internet makes it easy to connect with these leaders and even form relationships with them. But how do you find them and make a connection?

每个产业都有着影响者，那些人们急于从他们身上寻找激励和方向的领导者。要和这些大牛们接触，网络提供了极好的平台。但是究竟怎么才能找到他们，联系上他们呢？

Social networks. Find and follow leaders on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest. Pay attention to their interactions with others and join the conversations. Ask questions, pay a compliment or offer your opinion.

社交网络就可以。在推特、脸书、LinkedIn和Pinterest找找这些名人的账号。关注他们和谁有了互动，加入这些对话。问问题，补充观点或是提出自己的意见。

Go deeper. From social networks and Internet searches, you can usually find the blogs and publications to which your favorite influencers contribute.

再深入点，除去社交网络和网络搜索，你还可以去找找他们的博客或出版的作品。

Find groups and communities. Search each social network using the keywords of the community you seek. For example, on LinkedIn, you can find groups for industries, companies, colleges and special interests. Twitter chats occur regularly on a variety of topics. No matter what you do (or want to do), you can likely find a community of welcoming peers.

找些小组或社区。输入关键字找到对应的社交网络。比如在Linkedin上，你可以找到企业、公司、大学和其他机构的小组。推特会定期讨论不同的问题。无论你干什么（或想要干什么），你都能找到一个类似这样的社区。

 

4. Organize Your Thoughts

整理思绪

When you're venturing onto the path of self-improvement, a journal or notebook can help you keep track of what you've learned and your thoughts about it. The Internet offers dozens of tools and applications to help you organize your notes and keep them in one place. For example, it's fairly easy to start your own blog, which is a great way to keep track of your thoughts, as well as share them with others. If you're not ready for prime-time, keep things private with a bookmarking or note-keeping application. Many are free.

在自我提升的过程中，不妨用日记或笔记本记一下学到了什么，感想是什么。网上提供了几十种工具和应用帮助你整理笔记，保存下来。比如，开博客现在可不是什么难事，也是记录下自己想法与其他人分享的好办法。如果时间不充裕，就私下记些东西，或是用笔记软件。很多都是免费的哦！

 

5. Sharing and Supporting

分享和支持

Sharing nuggets of information with others who are in need is one of the best ways to use the Internet for growth. Because there is so much out there, the best stuff is often overlooked by those who could really use it. Whether it's through a tweet, a Facebook update or a blog post, your act of sharing could make a huge difference in someone else's journey. You'll also gain credibility in your area of interest, while building a community you can turn to when you need support.

与其他需要某些信息的人一起分享是自我提升的最好途径之一。网络上的信息实在太多，那些真正需要的人往往有时会忽视那一部分信息。无论是推特、脸书更新还是发布博客，你的分享对别人来说也许至关重要。与此同时还能在自己的领域获得信任度，不妨建一个社区，当你需要帮助的时候，它也能帮上你。

The Internet is enormous and enormously useful. Try some of these five ways to harness its power, make it more manageable and further your own growth. You could find yourself reaching new heights and achieving goals you never thought possible.

网络无边无际，也十分有用。试试上面说的五个方法感受一下它的魔力吧，有规划的使用，让自己不断地完善。你会发现自己不知不觉就到了新的高度，完成了自己从未想过的目标。