Education Is a Lifelong Pursuit

Education is a lifelong pursuit. I’ve said something along these lines before, as have others, but it’s often the way that things are said, as well as who says them, that makes the difference.

So let’s give it another shot, going waaaay back. Socrates said, "Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel." I agree wholeheartedly, but let’s not just take my word for it.

As recently as the late 20th Century, William Arthur Ward wrote, “Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.” Ward was an American motivational writer who wrote for publications like Reader’s Digest, Science of Mind and wrote a column for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, who also served on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross and Boy Scouts of America. Let’s take it a step further back in time, but raise the bar in terms of credentials.

Clay P. Bedford was a civil engineer who helped build the Hoover Dam, served as president of Kaiser Industries Electronics and Aerospace, and was assistant to the Secretary of Defense. He said, “You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.” Let’s take it up yet another notch.

William Crawford said, "Being a student is easy. Learning requires actual work." Crawford was an American politician and judge. By “politician,” I mean he served as both Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of War in two presidential Cabinets, as well as U.S. ambassador to France.

This builds a foundation in support of learning being an ongoing process, but only if we’re up for it. So what makes it worthwhile? That’s a good question.

What’s In It for Me?

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., was an American physician and writer acclaimed as one of the best writers of the day. He said, "Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions." That alone seems worthwhile to me. As a college student, I came to find real joy in researching a paper and finding that the conclusion I was trying to prove was completely wrong. I came to love finding the true path in that argument, like assembling a particularly difficult jigsaw puzzle. So there are two benefits: self-improvement and that gratifying sense of accomplishment. But those are more esoteric benefits, how about something more tangible like, say, literally improving your existence?

Henry Ford said, "Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young." If the word of the American industrialist and inventor of the assembly line is not enough, how about this?

According to Harvard Medical School, the single best way to keep the mind sharp is to keep learning:

A higher level of education is associated with better mental functioning in old age. Experts think that advanced education may help keep memory strong by getting a person into the habit of being mentally active. Challenging your brain with mental exercise is believed to activate processes that help maintain individual brain cells and stimulate communication among them.

Of course, there are other health factors involved, such as physical exercise, which some use the excuse of it just being too exhausting. Leonardo da Vinci wrote, "Learning never exhausts the mind .... Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation ... even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind." It certainly seems that continuing to learn is the less-strenuous choice of the two.

John Adams said, "There are two types of education ... one should teach us how to make a living, and the other how to live." That is probably more what you thought I meant when I mentioned improving existence: actually making a living. So let’s look at the numbers. It doesn’t get any more cut-and-dry than that.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2022, of people over age 24, the median weekly income without a high-school diploma was $682; whereas, those who received that diploma earned $853, an increase of 20 percent.

Moreover, unemployment in the same two groups were 5.5 percent and 4 percent, the most significant change than between any other level of education (1.5 percent).

I won’t bother rehashing the numbers, they are also illustrated on the above charts.

Other Forms of Education

So formal education is not for everyone. I, for one, am too old to go back. Not mentally, but I would never make back in revenue what was invested in getting my doctorate. I wish I had done it when I was younger. I had always wanted to, but life took over ... and that’s a whole other story.

So what other options are out there to continue education in a less formal setting? Here are three options: training, podcasts, and reading.

Training

Training through your employer is always an option. It can lead to tangible results like certifications or licenses, promotions or just better jobs, which can all enhance the bottom line. If your employer is willing to pay for the training, then it’s that much better! It makes you more marketable internally, as well as with other potential employers. This is not disloyal, it’s just business: you had a better offer and no one would blame you for taking it.

If that’s not good enough to assuage any potential sense of guilt, then consider this: according to Forbes, company training programs yield 218 percent higher income per employee than those without formalized training and earn more than double the income per employee. These companies also have a 24 percent higher profit margin overall.

So it can be a win-win-win ... win ... win ....

Podcasts

Tim Sanders, former chief solutions officer for Yahoo! and now CEO of Deeper Media, said, "Education without application is just entertainment." That seems particularly applicable when talking about podcasts. I see them asone of the newest and still underappreciated educational outlets out there.

According to Insider Intelligence, in 2023, 143.3 million people listened to podcasts at least once a month in North America alone. In Latin America, 135.2 million listened at least once a month; 117.1 million in China; and 111.3 million in Western Europe. On Jan. 2, 2024, ThePodcastHost.com reported that there were 4.3 million podcasts registered around the world. Sixty-four percent of people in the U.S. have listened to a podcast at least once and 42 percent listen on a monthly basis. So that’s a lot of potential content that could be put to use enhancing your education.

Mortimer Adler, an American educator and author who chaired the Encyclopedia Britannica Board of Editors, said, “The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live.” With podcasts, you could do that while multitasking!

According to YouGov.com, 49 percent of Americans who listen to podcasts do so while doing household chores; 42 percent do so while commuting to work; 29 percent while working out and 29 percent while cooking/baking. It’s a new method of education that could be a good option.

American writer and futurist Alvin Toffler wrote, "The illiterate of the 21st Century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." That not only means learning new content, but learning new methods of learning.

Reading

Another option is to go Old School: read, read, and read some more. Michelangelo said, "The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark."

According to the Markham Public Library, the benefits of regular reading include exercising the brain; improving concentration and ability to focus; increasing literacy; providing motivation; and increasing general knowledge.

Exercising the Brain. While reading, you have to remember different characters and settings. Even if you read a book in one sitting, you have to remember all the details, which is a workout for your brain.

Improving Concentration and Ability to Focus. Reading requires focus to fully understand the story. In a world where gadgets are only getting faster and shortening our attention span, we need to exercise our concentration and focus. Reading is one of the few activities that requires our undivided attention.

Increasing Literacy. Ever come across an unfamiliar word when reading? Books improve your vocabulary by introducing new words. The more you read, the more your vocabulary grows, along with your ability to effectively communicate. Reading also improves your writing skills by exposing you to writing styles.

Providing Motivation. Reading about heroes overcoming challenges can encouraged us to do the same. The right book can motivate you to never give up and stay positive.

Increasing General Knowledge. Books include fun and interesting facts. Whether you read fiction or non-fictions, there will be information we would otherwise not have encountered. Reading can make you more knowledgeable.

So There You Have It!

Earl Nightingale, National Radio Hall of Fame Inductee, said, “One hour per day of study in your chosen field is all it takes. One hour per day of study will put you at the top of your field within three years. Within five years you'll be a national authority. In seven years, you can be one of the best people in the world at what you do.”

I can’t vouch for it as far as literal truth, but I can say this: as goals go, it could only help.

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