What Is Education?

In one episode I welcomed a the owner of Mimi's Fresh Tees who has been working in our community to help with various issues, including education reform. And that is what I want to talk about today:

What is education, why is it important and why should an entrepreneur care?

I must admit in this episode I talk about my own educational battles, and these battles for me started at a very early age. But what is education any?

Education is the process of receiving or giving systematic, instruction especially at a school or university. Great definition or is it… personally I do not believe education is received at only a school or a university. I prefer the other definition of education: an enlightening experience.

Now first let me take a step back and say I do not discourage higher education. Hell, I went and spent a pretty penny at Portland Community College, Portland State University and Syracuse University to learn a great deal of what I am sharing on these episodes, but I did not learn everything at school.

Education is like networking in that it helps a person hone their skills by learning from experience, and sometimes it is from the experience of others that we learn the most.

Take this podcast for example – I hope my listeners are learning from these stories. These are real life entrepreneurs talking about their own experiences. I hope this podcast services as almost a case study of business.

The digital version of the Harvard Business Review without the membership fees, and with stories that feel obtainable from owners we know, from business we walk by, in communities we live in.

Think of education in three different forms: formal, informal, and non-formal.

Formal education is the classroom and is mostly taught by qualified teachers or professionals that follows a curriculum.

Informal education is just that: informal. Think of this as education learned outside of an academic institution. These are more life lessons, skills or knowledge acquired at home, from books, and yes even browsing the internet can be educational….SOME TIMES!!

Anyone can put out a podcast and state their opinion – trust me, I know, but whether that information is truthful really determines, in my opinion, if that is educational or simply erroneous.

Erroneous means wrong or incorrect.

Non-formal education is a mixer of both formal and informal education, according to World Vision. These are educational programs but not in an educational setting like a school. These are more community-based courses, short programs, or vocational training.

Vocational training is education that prepares people to work as a technician or to take employment in a skilled craft or trade.

But why is education important?

Problem-solving skills, economic growth, self-reliance, and empowerment! There are so many benefits to education, whether that is formal, informal, or non-formal.

Bruce Lee once famously said, “instead of buying your children all the things you never had, you should teach them all the things you were never taught. Material wear out but knowledge stays”

And that is why an entrepreneur should care. According to The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization study conducted in 2011, if all students in low-income countries acquired basic reading skills before leaving school, 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty.

But education is not about just living above the poverty line. Education is about quality of line. It is about feeling comfortable making an informed decision and having the confidence to continue to learn if we fail.

As I have stated before: I have never failed a day in my life. I have either learned or I have succeeded. Even in school, I never failed, even though some may have wished I would have. Instead, I got more education, obtained more knowledge, and built a strong foundation for my future.

And I hope every week when these episodes air I add another layer to your foundation to build a strong future.

Together.