Learning Out of School

Education is one of, if not the most, important tool in the success-minded people’s toolbox.  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 reality is 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 an 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.

"A willingness to learn can turn temporary failure into success in the long run."

- W. Clement Stone

(1902-2002)

Author/Businessman

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 after 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 hardcover 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 borrow a book but rather buy them so I can mark them up, keep them, and go back to them again and again.  Whatever way you prefer to read, just read.  As the great Charlie "Tremendous" Jones used 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

                Every day we pass by learning opportunities repeatedly.  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 of 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.  Listen to them.  These are the times when the 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 will be 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.

You can learn more about Personal Development from author and speaker, John Patrick Hickey.  To get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com. Be sure to sign up for free membership and get even more tools to help you achieve your dreams.  

© 2019 John Patrick Hickey. No part of this may be reprinted or published without the permission of the author.