Breaking The Box: Thinking Beyond Academics and Imbibing Self-education (Part One)

“Education is the key to success.”

I am sure your ears have been bamboozled with that statement, at least a few times.

Do I disagree with it?

Yes and No.

Growing up, I was introduced to a novel and seemingly, contradictory anthem; “education was the key, but the lock has been changed.”

Do I agree with this new perspective?

Once again, my answer is yes and no’

Stay with me, I will explain.

Let’s start off with an understanding of what education means to you.

Is it the learning and assimilation of arithmetic, language, and the derivatives thereof that we are exposed to in the confines of a formal classroom?

Or is it more than that?

Here is what I think education is; the acquisition of relevant knowledge, skill, wisdom, mindset, and attitude needed to build oneself toward providing valuable solutions to human problems in any field.

Based on this view, I would agree that education was the key, is the key, and will remain the key to success.

But if you understand education to be confined to the curriculum learned within a formal educational system starting from pre-school, to creche, nursery, basic school, high school, college, and other higher levels, then  I disagree it is the key. it probably was the key when such education was a privilege accessible to just a few in the industrial age.

The advent of the internet and advancements in tech ushered in the information age which came with new global opportunities accessible to all regardless of location. The shift from the industrial to the information age required a change in strategy and approach to the pursuit of success and our life goals

I have always maintained that sustainable success is built on principles that give birth to strategies. Strategies change with time and circumstances but the underlying principles remain unchanged. The former view of education sees it from a strategy standpoint and in which case it must transform over time to remain viable.

I choose to see education as a principle -acquisition of relevant knowledge, skill, wisdom mindset, and attitude set. This will never change. You can never succeed in any endeavor you are not knowledgeable about. However, the methods and types of knowledge acquired must be adapted to the times and seasons, with a focus on relevance to current and future trends of human living.

I am not downplaying the relevance of formal classroom education and certification. However, a gentle glance at the growing numbers of unemployed youth will tell you that, just having a university degree is no longer enough to remain relevant in the information age.

…. to be continued