Is Formal Education Still The Key To Success?

Many years ago, your level of formal education can determine how successful you will become. Therefore, formal education was fondly called the key to success. Because of this, parents often did their best to make sure their children go to the best schools in the country and beyond. Fast forward to today, is education still the key to success? Throw this question to ten different people and you will likely get ten different answers.

The reason why a lot of people struggled to acquire brick-and-mortar education was to get a job. Lately, jobs are declining and many are forced to rethink their education. While education is the key to success, formal education can be limiting. By education, we mean expanding your knowledge, skills, and ethics. Formal education often reduces your knowledge to one thing alone. Consequently, you tend to feel like a loser if you are unable to secure a job in that only thing that you know.

Perhaps, it is time to let students know that formal education is not the only key to success. Therefore, the following saying should stop already;

• You need to go to school, graduate, and get a good job and become a responsible person in society
• You need your studies seriously because your future depends on it
• If you don’t get good grades you are doomed for life etc.

Alternatives to formal education

Thanks to the Internet and the advancement in technology, there are myriads of alternatives to formal education. Today, you can expand your knowledge as much as you want by simply making a generic search on Google. There are also lots of videos on YouTube and various other platforms where you can learn almost anything from the comfort of your home.

If the success is defined by the size of salary, it will interest you to know that some freelancers without formal education work online and earn more than their peers in offices. Also, many soccer players don’t have any tertiary degree but their weekly wages are only a wish for most top government officials. While formal education is still relevant, it is important to also emphasize the need for people to explore their natural talents.

Success means different things to different people. If you are one of those that see success as the number of certificates you have, then formal education will get you there. However, if you view success from the angle of self-fulfillment, don’t lose your confidence simply because you don’t have formal education. Well, what do you think? What is your own definition of success? Feel free to share your views in the comment box below.