There Is More To Learning Than School
"A willingness to learn can turn temporary failure into
success in the long run."
- W. Clement Stone
(1902-2002)
Author/Businessman
Education is
one of, if not the most, important tool in the success-minded persons tool
box. If all you know now is all you will
know, then you are in for some big problems.
Success-minded people are learners who know that their education does
not stop when they think they know enough.
In fact, when a person believes they know enough the really show that
they know nothing at all.
Now, allow me to share with you
what some other, far more intelligent people than myself, have said about
education.
"Education is the most powerful weapon
which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela, Former Prime
Minister of South Africa
"The function of education is to teach
one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character -
that is the goal of true education." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Civil Rights Leader
"The roots of education are bitter, but
the fruit is sweet." - Aristotle, Philosopher
"Education is the key to unlock the
golden door of freedom." - George Washington Carver, Educator
"Education is not preparation for life;
education is life itself." - John Dewey, Educator
Now, here is the thing I want
you to remember. Not one of these
people, including myself, is talking about going to school. That's right.
They are talking about getting an education, not about attending
school. True, schools are one place
where you can go to learn. Please
understand, I am not anti-school in any way.
I believe that a person should get as much formal education as they can
or need, however, it is not the only way to be educated. And the fact is, many times, it is not the
best way.
I do not want to use this time
to talk about what schools offer and what they do not. That is for another time. What I want to stress is that if you hope to
be a success in any or all areas of life, you must be a constant learner. You must be educated.
Along with school, I want to
share with you three other ways that one can gain education. This education is without a doubt, the best
way to learn any subject and pathway to success. They are the tools of books, people, and
experiences.
Learning Through Books
We live in one of the most
wonderful times in history. Because of
the advancements in technology we are now able to carry around whole libraries
in our pockets. Kindles, Nooks, and
other readers have made it easy to have access to more books than there was
even available when Benjamin Franklin was alive. You can read book upon book on any topic you
wish by some of the most brilliant thinkers the world has ever seen. And do it all on your phone!
This does not exclude hard cover
books by any means. If you are like me,
you would love to have a book in your hands when you read them. Personally I love to write in books and
underline meaningful passages, therefore I never barrow a book but rather buy
them so I can make them, keep them, and go back to them again and again. However you prefer to read, just read. As the great Charlie "Tremendous"
Jones use to say, "You will be the same person you are today five years
from now except for the people you meet and the book that you read."
Learning From People
Everyday we pass by learning
opportunities over and over again. They
walk past us and say hello. They are in
the station next to us at work, behind us in line at the store or at the table
next to us at the coffee shop. People
can be some of the greatest educators you will ever hope to meet. I believe that I can learn from everyone I
meet, no matter who they are. Sometimes,
what I learn is what not to do, but that is learning too. People have much to offer to the
success-minded person who will listen and pay attention.
To use this to its greatest
advantage, seek out people who can help you and teach you what you need to
know. Find people who are successful in
the line or work you want to do and find out what they are doing and how they
do it. Look for the smartest person in
the room and be sure to talk to them.
Actually, listen to them. These
are the times when the old adage comes in handy, "God gave you one mouth
and two ears. So, listen twice as much
as you talk."
Learning From Experience
One of the best learning tools
you can create for yourself is to keep a daily journal. Not a diary that talks about how you feel and
what you think about the weather. A
journal is a thinking tool that records your thoughts and ideas and helps you
work through the process of getting through them. Record the experiences you have had, good and
bad, and what you can learn from each.
This way you process every experience and nothing that happens in your
life is wasted.
By recording these thoughts and
ideas you will never lose them. Two
years from now when you are going through a struggle you have had before, you
can go back and see what you did them to get through. Believe me, this saves hours of time learning
something all over again. Experience is
only the best teacher is we learn from her and apply the lessons she has taught
us.
To discover how you can achieve the dream you have believed was
impossible for too long, read On The Journey
To Achievement by John Patrick Hickey.
You can get a signed copy for yourself and get one for a friend, by
going to http://www.johnpatrickhickey.com/it-is-good-to-set-goals-better-to-achieve-then/.
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