Learning has always been a choice. Today, it is a necessity. In a world where technology redefines the way we work and make decisions, continuous learning has ceased to be a differentiator and has become any leader's greatest asset. In this article, I share how the philosophy of lifelong learning has shaped every stage of my career and continues to guide my work at Inteli, especially now, when artificial intelligence demands a new attitude towards knowledge from all of us.
The end of one career can be the beginning of another
My first professional journey lasted 18 years. At Cia de Talentos, I lived ten careers in one: I learned, made mistakes, grew and led. I started as an intern, became CEO and then the Advisory Board. And yet, at the age of 37, I felt that a new cycle was calling me.
It was during this period that I came across The 100-Year Lifeby Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott. The book made a deep impression on me. It reminds us that we're going to live longer, and that life therefore fits into multiple chapters. And if we're going to live longer, it's only natural that what we learned in our 20s will no longer serve us in our 40s.
Sometimes, as happened to me, we discover that it's possible to contribute in areas we never imagined.
Deep transitions will become increasingly common. The question becomes: how will you sustain your relevance over so many years? For me, the answer has always been the same word: learning.
Lifelong learning beyond books
Changing careers isn't glamorous. It's uncomfortable, challenging and often lonely. When I entered the higher education sector in 2018, I knew little about how this universe worked. I needed to learn quickly, in depth and without hierarchies. It meant active listening, a watchful eye and radical humility.
That's how I met generous people in my day-to-day life who taught me more than any curriculum could. Maria Mesquita, Geraldo Magela, Thiago Sayão , and later, Maurício Garcia, who became my intellectual safe haven during the transition and then joined me in building Inteli.
I learned from all of them that leading is also about continuing to learn.
And that nobody makes a change of this magnitude alone.
Where there is will, there are possibilities
I have always believed that anyone can learn anything, as long as there is a real willingness to do so. Conrado Schlochauer describes this evolution as the transition from Homo Sapiens to Homo Discens: beings who continually learn in order to do better, regardless of the field, time or age.
Cristina Junqueira, when asked what she admires most in a professional, answered with precision: being up for it. For me, this is the common denominator for anyone who wants to lead their own destiny, and today, also to lead well in a world guided by artificial intelligence.
This willingness to learn is what differentiates those who observe change from those who build change.
And what does this have to do with artificial intelligence?
Everything.
AI is transforming the way we make decisions, collaborate, communicate and create value. And, contrary to what many imagine, it's not a technology that only requires technical skills, it requires leaders capable of navigating uncertainty, asking good questions and translating data into action.
Learning to work with AI isn't about mastering a code; it's about developing the repertoire to understand its impacts and apply it responsibly, strategically and humanely.
That's why I often say that if learning used to be a differentiator, today it is the infrastructure of leadership.
And here comes the role of Inteli's MBA in AI and Data for Business.
The creation of the MBA was born precisely from this understanding: leading in the age of AI is not about knowing everything, it's about knowing how to learn continuously.
The program trains professionals who:
- understand technology without having to be technical;
- talk to data teams naturally;
- connect AI to strategy and not just efficiency;
- make evidence-based decisions;
- build environments where humans and AI work together;
- know how to always reinvent themselves, because technology isn't going to slow down.
The MBA is not the end of a journey. It's a turning point: that moment when you decide to be the protagonist of your own reinvention.
Learning is always a leader's greatest power
If there's one thing that Inteli has taught me over the last few years, it's that leadership isn't about knowing everything, it's about always being open to learning. It's about curiosity, courage and intellectual humility.
In the age of artificial intelligence, this attitude is not optional. It is decisive.
And I'm still here, as an eternal learner. Reinventing, studying, making mistakes, evolving, and deeply believing that, while we learn, we remain alive, relevant and connected to what matters.
Because a leader's greatest asset isn't their position, their background or their technical expertise.
It's their tireless willingness to keep learning.
