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Everything We’ve Learned


I have always been a big proponent of education and learning. I think a solid foundation of math, reading, and science is a great start to any child’s life. Give them an afternoon nap or recess and then a good school bus ride home. These are some basic needs that give kids a good start in life. No matter what their homelife is like, school should be a place they want to go. 

Education starts at home. It begins when we hear our parents and siblings speak to us, play games with us, and even discipline us. We watch the behavior of our moms and dads and want to imitate them and be like them in life. As we grow older, we start gaining our own identity from meeting friends, travels, family, and family friends. This is called growth and it is good. 

No matter what is taught in school though, the education at home is a strong bond. This is true for a number of reasons. If teachers in the classroom were as effective, we would not have certain words or phrases around anymore. Examples: “I ain’t gonna do nothing.” “I’m fixin to go.” These are all examples of phrases and words that are learned from people’s surroundings. 

This is not about bashing what people learn at home. It is about keeping people in that same mentality and not letting them grow. I have a bachelor’s degree from a great university. There are times when I say ain’t and fixin to in a pretty thick accent. In certain crowds I am not concerned with having perfect diction. None of us should be that way either. 

The problem is, some people are never taught when and where to say certain words or phrases. When going to a job interview at a fortune 500 company, diction matters. When going to a bank to apply for a loan, diction matters. What also matters is you don’t wear your best sweatpants. Dress nicely for important meetings. If you are hanging out in a pasture at a bonfire, it’s a little different. 

Our education outside the classrooms is critical to our success in life. When we are no longer in that classroom and want to start our own business, you don’t look to those who struggle. You look to those that have succeeded in their own business to get advice and tips.

I had some wonderful teachers in school. They taught me all sorts of great tidbits of knowledge. The real education and test are what I did after that education. How did I apply that to the real world and be successful? How did I use that knowledge to give back to others? 

If you ain’t fixin to axe someone a question. Then you are probably on the right path. Remember we learn a lot from everyone around us. That is why the seat at the right table is important. Everything we’ve learned compiles to make us who we are today. We get to choose as adults who are around us to shape the rest of our lives. 

“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” - Socrates

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