Book Smart versus Street Smart - misconception in learning

     I was sad when I watch at #SayaZAHRA video. Her thinking process shows that there is something wrong in her generation thinking process. Worst, she is a degree holder! Her expectation shows there is a huge gap living in university than the real working world. Many people taught without education they cannot go farther in their life. While many people have misconception with higher qualification they are surely can live in luxury and enjoy their life. There are also a lot of misconception in property investment due to the same thinking process. Although I mentioned these in my previous articles, some people never learn. So, let me begin many misconception in our life by starting from life in education environment.

1. Misconception in learning
    a) Education is just a stepping stone.

• Many people thought higher qualification can guarantee prosperous life, high salary, easy life, live in luxury et etc.
• In vice versa, many people said without education (degree or above) one has no place to grow, difficult to become rich, face a hard life et etc.
• The truth is education is just a stepping stone for us to begin at a higher level, has better option where to start, what field to choose et. etc. But what is more important is what are we going to do once we work than where we begin. Many people don't realize that what they do as they begin their working life was actually being shaped while they were learning in universities...including the bad habits.
• There are many successful people who began their life without higher qualification.
• There are also many educated people (degree or above) who end up in their life with just mediocre achievement.
• You need to meet more people and read more to find out the reality.
• In some countries, there are entrepreneurship programs where people skip their degree and straight away concentrate on the business and technology which they can grow on their own.

     b) Wrong habits will re-enforce wrong philosophy

• Many students learn new knowledge and skills in university. But, they don't realize they also cultivate bad habits during their life in universities.
• These are some bad examples which lead to bad habits when they work:

          i. Many students simply copy other people works and claim they are theirs.
         ii. They don't really understand what they have copied or do.
        iii. Never bother what happen in campus, not involve in community activities in universities
         iv. Never bother to investigate their lecturers' advice especially job opportunities
          v.  Never bother to spend time to learn something outside the classroom or book 

• They actually seen these bad habits on their friends but they are successful in getting good grades. The common mantra: if I do like all other people done, I can also be successful like them. 
• No. Copycats are easily outdated. Why should your employers pay expensively for something out of touch!? Are you going to pay expensively for something you can easily get?
• I should learn the subjects because it is easy to understand and score good grades. 
• No. Easy subjects are for routine works with low pay. I must learn something difficult but widely in demand so that i will stay relevant to industry and get high pay. If your work in industry is easy and can be done by a lot of other people, then you are in trouble.
• The accumulation of wrong habits will shape wrong philosophy in your life, continuously create wrong habits in life, and solving wrong problems. So you don't gain much while the world is getting more complicated.

      c) Glamorous subject cannot provide security in future

• This is a very common thought in students when they choose elective subjects: easy to score, easy going lecturer, easy going content. You should read above why this is bad.
• When I studied in USA, I took two elective subjects that were never taken by Malaysian students before in my university. I end up using a lot of them in my work today.
• Some people prefer to take glamorous course. They like the attention they thought they will get. No.
• Glamour does not last long. It is easily being killed. You should learn practical course and high job demand in present and future.
• Many my former students ignore my advice to focus on electronic design work. Some of them work in production. Now even Intel can easily terminate people who work in the production.
• Students always afraid to take design courses. They are difficult, time consuming and difficult to get A grade. But these subjects can guarantee you to get good pay as a fresh worker.
• Most of my undergraduate students who work in semiconductor industry in Penang will get pay between RM3,000++ to RM3,500++. But, I have a few undergraduate students who got starting salary at RM4,000++ in Johor Bahru! And they are still looking for new recruits.

     d) I can spend time at the last minute to understanding all the learning material

• A street smart know that the moment they face is always the one and only time they have to understand the subject matter being discussed. They cannot wait to bring home the material, read later, and make decision at the last minute. If they don't understand, they will immediately ask. If there are too many related things they do not understand, they will discuss face to face with the speaker privately or read related books.
• Many people lost their money because of this.
• Quick Rich Scheme depends on your greediness and confusion to make money out of you.
• Swindler depends on your confusion to make money out of you.

      e) Learning from the lecture is not enough

• Many students never do extra work when they learn any subject. Some subjects are crucial to do more than what being told in class.
• Once you work, definitely you will have a hard life to identify relevant extra tasks to gain more knowledge, skills and income.
• The more you know the detail in the subject, the more skillful you will be and the more employers want to hire you or give you a lucrative raise.
• Without this skills, some degree holder will end up involve in direct selling. Why do you bother want to do what people without qualification can do? The rosy picture being told upon you by those people are not necessarily true or relevant to you. Many my former students were trapped in this life situation.

     f) Experience is the best teacher

• You can learn from successful people especially the one without higher qualification. Their struggle should be your inspiration.
• You can speed up your learning process by attending short courses. But, when you are young and energetic, you may also learn on your own or asking around.
• People get higher pay because they have more experience. Doing the same thing or the same technique in your learning years cannot help you to accumulate new experience.
• Getting involve in community work can give you the opportunity to see how and what you learn is being used in real life.

     g) Living in your real life is the best university

• Many thought all they need to know to be a successful worker can be learned in classes and provided in university. 
• No. University can only provide minimum knowledge to prepare you for various industry. University cannot focus only on one industry. It is up to you to be specialized in which industry and job functions. 
• Most of the time, it is the thinking process being taught. A correct thinking process can guarantee you future success. 
• Only 20% what you learn is immediately useful while the rest is up to you to explore your abilities.
• The first 5 years in your working life is more critical than 5 years in college. The faster you learn to adopt good philosophy and work ethics, the faster you can grow. Most of these can only be really understood and realize when you live in working world.
• Sometimes you don't immediately get monetary gain from what you learn, but if you focus on your work, the rewards will reach you when you have reach the minimum knowledge and skills threshold.
• Street smart guy are attending this university all their working life. They grow and get more income as fast as they can learn and improve themselves.

 Next I will talk about misconception in life and wealth accumulation.