The Educated Illiterate
Academic education is one of the things that every kid is pushed into from birth. We are told you must have a good education in order to be (financially) successful. Why is it that so many of us are so (financially) unsuccessful? Perhaps we have been taught the wrong things all our life or haven’t been taught the right things! Today most parents leave the educational system
Red Fail (Photo credit: griffithchris)
(Public or Private) to teach their children to be educated. Yet, a “real” education is the last thing we get. I’m not saying that we should learn how to read, write, do math, or perform, but what I am saying is that those things can’t be all we are taught. So what do I think we should have learned? A lot more than we did (very descriptive) that’s for sure. Seriously though, I have a list which is below, but before I show you that I want to rant on a little more.
I’d be the last person to tell anyone not to go out and get an education, because I’m almost the poster boyfor education (a bachelor degree, 1 academic and 1 professional certifications, with 2 Master degrees) and I didn’t get paid for being one. In fact I’m paying to be the poster boy! What I’m trying to convey is that our financial system has failed to prepare us for what happens when we leave school and step into the real world. Learning calculus is cool if you’re going to use it, but most that take it never will; you know what we will need to use though, a checkbook, banks, credit cards, resumes, networking, a balanced budget, negotiating, and etc. Yet, we are never taught these key things that help to reach and maintain a level of success.
Denzel (Photo credit: Thomas Hawk)
I think we continue to fail ourselves when we rely on only the educational system we are given. So in the words of Denzel Washington on the movie The Great Debators “I am here to help you to find, take back, and keep your righteous mind.” We must reeducate ourselves to become financially literate. So many of us would rather live for today and fail to plan for tomorrow (can we say YOLO?). How dumb is that? We have been programmed to be dumbed down and our children continue to be. We have been taught that buying a house we live is an asset; wrong. If you don’t believe me or disagree watch this video.
Here’s a baker’s dozen (13) of things a traditional education in America won’t teach you and that you will have to teach yourself.
- To be financially literate.
- How to make friends and influence people.
- How to define success for yourself.
- How to write an appropriate resume.
- You don’t have to go to college to be educated.
- When you experience failure it can be a positive learning tool.
- How to think for yourself.
- How to be a life long learner.
- Time management.
- How to lead others.
- How to take constructive criticism.
- How to master the art of asking questions (for the sake of learning).
- Internal and external diversity is necessary for success.
Zombie_To-Do_List (Photo credit: ironybelle)
The best way to educate yourself is by doing the following 5 things:
- Ask God for wisdom. James 1:5 in the Bible says “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” God is the beginning of wisdom.
- Read a book. If don’t know how to read, ask someone. It is better to be humble than illiterate, poor, and foolish.
- Use the internet. (The way you are at this moment) Research, research, research! If you don’t know how. Go to the library and ask the receptionist for help. Best part is that training is free!
- Find a mentor who you understand to be successful. Be a sponge in an ocean!
- Promise to learn something new everyday. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a new word in a dictionary or how to invest in stock.
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