Luke MacGregor/ReutersRead a lot — and teach yourself to do it quickly.

Many of life’s most important skills cannot be taught in a classroom. They’re acquired by living, observing others, and making mistakes.

The great thing about being surrounded by people who have experienced more than you is being able to pick their brains. We turned to a recent Quora thread that asked users for the most valuable skill a person can have for their entire life. 

After sorting through the responses, here are our 13 favorites:

1. Articulating what you think and feel

“It’s extremely important for a person to learn to put into words what he thinks. It makes a relationship last. It creates an impression on the person you’re talking to. It gives you a chance to explore what others think about your ideas.” —Quora user Abhishek Padmasale