One of the most overlooked opportunities for learning and personal growth is the time we spend in our cars. There really isn't much we can do safely in our car but drive. I know I see people doing all kinds of things such as curling their hair, putting their makeup on and talking on the telephone. All of those things are distracting. There is something we can do in our cars to make any commute worth the time. That is what I call Car College - otherwise known as listening to some form of audio.

I was chatting with my friend Kathryn. She shared how she had begun listening to a set of tapes and was amazed at how many tapes she has listened to in one week's time. In a week, she had listened to half of a set of tapes she thought was going to take a month to get through. She calls her education Auto University. I also have renewed my interest in listening to tapes in the car and have been amazed at how much I learn in a relatively short amount of time. The wonderful part about learning while commuting is it is so effortless and doesn't distract me from my primary responsibility, that of driving.

There are so many choices when it comes to what we can listen to in the car. My friend Debra, who is a realtor and spends large chunks of time in her car, listens to books on tape. She can get through a book in a week that would have taken much longer to actually read. There are self-help tapes, educational tapes and even "How To" tapes.

Car College doesn't have to be expensive. Many libraries have current tapes and CDs to loan and I have even found gently listened to tapes and CDs at garage sales. Car College is a wonderful way to expand the mind whilst getting to where we want to go.

If you are wondering how you will fit in all the books you would like to read or need a boost to your self-esteem, Car College might just be the answer. Your car can become a vehicle to move you forward both physically and mentally.