Learning for You!

[ctt template=”5″ link=”WZb2C” via=”no” ]Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.[/ctt] When we think of school and learning, typically we automatically make a face as the litany of our childhood years bubbles to our lips. Boring, not necessary, what’s the point, etc. Why do we think like that though? Why are we so reluctant to learn? The answer may be simpler than you think; it’s because we’ve always thought we’ve had to learn the skills of our dream profession or trade for others. We’re taught that the skills that are being crammed into our skulls are for the benefit of our potential future employers; that the more we know about that particular spectrum, the better chances we have of getting that dream career. Now what if we said that you’re actually learning for yourself; that the skills and things that you pick up from the teacher, are actually things that you need as your own person? Mind blown! Okay, not really, you’re probably just giving this text a critical look and thinking ‘really?’ but hang on and let us explain.

 

Let’s start with a fairly easy example: a cook. The majority of the human race has, at some point in their life, cooked some semblance of a meal; but that doesn’t make us all chefs. When we think of a chef, we think of people garbed in white clothes with those long white hats and aprons, shouting at each other over the sounds of food sizzling and the clatter of pots, pans, china and cutlery. They just stand around, tossing whatever the recipe calls for into their pots and pans and magically the food comes out tasting amazing. Now what if we told you that there’s so much more going on underneath that tall white hat; if we said that cooking actually involves science and math, just to name a few things? We won’t bore you with the details, but in a nutshell, without those basic subjects, we wouldn’t have those yummy creations. Chefs have to look at what happens when they mix one ingredient with another, when they cook things at a certain temperature, and how long they cook said thing for. How does this help them as a person, you ask? Simple: the more they know and understand, the better dishes they can produce. By understanding the process, what’s happening, and what they can do to make things come out of those swinging doors faster and easier; the better food they can serve, and the better they can feel about the end results.

The reason why learning and schooling is so important, is because it gives you the tools to perform to the best of your abilities. The difference between you baking a cake at home, and a professional baker making a cake is huge, despite it seeming so small. Bakers understand that the ratios (math!) of ingredients added can massively change how well the cake rises, how fluffy it is, how it tastes, even how well it bakes; and in understanding the chemical reactions involved (science!) then can actually create their own unique twist to said cake. In a nutshell, they’re growing and expanding by using the bases of what they’ve learned – and thus becoming that person they’ve dreamed of becoming.

 

So while yes, learning certain skills as demanded by your employer is important; what’s even more important is keeping in mind that for every single piece of knowledge you gain, you grow a little more. For every little scrap of information in your brain, you’ve acquired something that you may be able to utilize later, and in utilizing it, you further your own goals and dreams; possibly becoming your OWN boss.  In the end, most of the skills and information you pick up from school, or learning on the job, can be used in other aspects of not just your work life, but to your own personal benefit as well. So remember, you’re not learning for others – you’re learning to further your own goals and aspirations, and every place you learn in is an opportunity for growth.  You know what they say: knowledge is power, the more you know, the more you can do.