While we
spend most our time in schools from age 6 to age 22 minimum, we don’t start
understanding life until about mid-forties or early fifteen and sometimes never…
Whoever
invented schooling had a good idea however I am not sure we need so many years
in the classroom. It is true that the learnings help shape our minds and brains
and help us become who we are at the adult age. On the other hand, I am not
certain this much information equip us with the right stuff to deal with the
real life.
As I
graduated from university, I embraced life with full passion and the desire to
conquer the world. Looking back I think I was beautifully naïve. Today with the
university years way behind me, I cannot judge my success or failure based only
on my academic and technical skills. While we invest so much time and money
into acquiring degrees and skills, professional life is much more concerned
with something else. Something that doesn’t necessarily require you to be the
best, something simply called people skills.
There isn’t
one single person on this planet that has achieved a tremendous amount of
success without the help of others. Getting people to join you, adhere to your
vision, follow you and help you get ahead is one of the most difficult things
to ever be learnt. I now understand why they don’t teach this stuff in schools.
Additionally, leadership classes are taught but at a very late age when the
person has already misconceptions about life, limitations and prejudices.
Teaching kids how to lead themselves and others, how to initiate projects and
excel at communication would enable all to be healthy and sound from an early
age. But of course, we don’t want everyone to be a leader!! A leader must have followers. Else there is no
point in being a leader.
If there is
one thing I recommend young students and professionals to spend most time on is
soft skills : skills not taught in schools but acquired in the real life.
And you,
what is the best thing you’ve learned outside of school?
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