“Formal education will make you a living. Self-education will make you a fortune.”
– Jim Rohn
(1930-2009)
Author/Speaker
Here are a
few myths we have about education:
#1.
All education comes from school.
#2.
You have to have a degree to succeed.
#3.
The more schooling you have the better educated you will be.
#4.
If you get a degree you will get a good job.
#5.
What you don't learn in school you really don't need.
I do not need to explain to you
how wrong every one of these myths are.
Success-minded people know all too well that they have learned more out
of school than in school. Even the great
Albert Einstein said, "Education is what remains after one has forgotten
what one has learned in school." And
of course the classic Mark Twain who said, "Don't let schooling interfere
with your education."
Now I know that it sound like I
am opposed to higher education and I promise you that I am not. In fact, I believe that we should get as much
schooling as we can. The thing I do
oppose is the thinking that all education comes from school. School or formal education is good for acquiring
specialized knowledge. But it is you who
will give you the education that will bring you to success. It is your responsibility, not that of
schools, the government or some teacher.
You are responsible for your education.
Here are a few things you can do to assure that your education is solid
and productive.
1) Educate yourself through
reading
I believe that the most important
habit we can form in life is the habit of reading. It is through the reading of books, and other
material that we can stimulate our brains into thinking and becoming more
creative. Here is another mistake many
people make: they think that you only read books in school. Studies have shown that 33% of High School
graduates and 42% of college grads never read another book once they leave
school. That is beyond disgraceful. The greatest tool you have is to read and to
read often.
2) Educate yourself through the
people you meet
Everyone you meet has something
to teach you. Success-minded people know
that they must always be aware of who they are with so that they can learn in
some way. Sometimes it is what not to do
as well as what to do. Charlie "Tremendous"
Jones use to say, "You will be the same person you are today, five years
from now except for two things, the books you read and the people you
meet." Meet the people that can
help you move in the direction you want to go.
Where do these people congregate?
Go there and meet the right people.
You never know what opportunities this can open up for you.
3) Educate yourself with
deliberate learning
What I mean by deliberate
learning is taking classes or going to seminars that will move you toward your
goals and dreams. Seek out the courses
you need to achieve your goal and take them.
See the time and expense as an investment in your education. Learn from those who have gone before
you. Never be foolish enough to think
you can go it alone and you know what you are doing. If you knew what you were doing and what has
to be done you would have already succeeded.
4) Educate yourself by having a
growth plan
If you want to grow and to gain
the knowledge you need to succeed you will need a plan. Know where you are going - have a clear
goal. Ask yourself, "What do I need
to know and do to reach my goal?"
Now, set a plan to get that information and keep moving to success. It takes a bit every day to achieve a
goal. It will not happen all at once,
nor will it happen now and then. Know
what you need to do every day to make your journey to achievement.
5) Educate yourself to never give
up
The person who succeeds is not
the one who is the smartest, fastest, most talented or who have the best resources. The winner will always be the one who never
gives up. Most failures come from people
who get tired and just quite. It can be
a rough road. There is no getting around
it, success is hard work, but it is the only way it comes. For those who stay with it and do what they
need to do to learn and grow, there is no limit to the wonderful things they
can achieve.
You
matter! You matter to the world and to
yourself. Remember to be your best, love
God, have good manners, achieve the unknown and change your world.
John Patrick
Hickey is an author, speaker, Life Coach and proud Scouter. To read more from
John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your
church, business or group, visit our website at http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.
© 2014 John
Patrick Hickey
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