Brief 011: Are you getting educated, or just collecting qualifications?

Sometimes I wonder if we’ve made education a little too much about getting things.

A degree.
A diploma.
A certificate.
Another course.
Another qualification.

And eventually you have a very impressive list of things you studied…but what were you actually trying to achieve? 

Because education can do many different things.
It can help you enter a profession.
It can help you learn a practical skill.
It can help you change careers.
It can help you earn more.
It can help you start a business.
It can help you understand the world better.

It can even help you discover that the thing you thought you wanted isn’t actually what you want.

Those are very different goals, and they don’t all require the same kind of education.

If your goal is to become a doctor, your education needs to prepare you for that profession.
If your goal is to start a business, you may need a completely different mix of knowledge and experience.
If your goal is simply to understand money better, you probably don’t need a three-year degree in economics.

So before asking: “What should I study?”
Try asking: “What am I trying to achieve?”

Then work backwards.
What do I need to know?
What do I need to be able to do?
What qualification, if any, would help?
What experience do I need?

Suddenly, education becomes less about collecting credentials…and more about building towards something.

My question for you is: If you could remove the pressure to impress anyone with your education…what would you actually want your education to help you achieve?

Read the next Brief here: Brief 012: Should you study what you love, or what you’re good at?