One of my favorite quotes ever is from one of my professors. She said, “there are two things that always go with you: your reputation and what is between your ears.”
Growing up my family has always stressed the importance of investing in your education. I have multiple family members who work in the education system so learning has always been a part of my life. I am a life-long learner because no matter what happens, no one can take your education away from you. Education comes in many forms including: books, talking with people, college courses, online courses, hands on experiences, and so much more. Most people tend to be more partial to traditional forms of education. There is nothing wrong with traditional forms of education but I think each form of education lends its self to particular topics and industries. Traditional education is good for learning foundational skills and techniques but when it comes to application it is a little lacking. Let me explain.
Everything that is put into the curriculum of most traditional education programs goes through an intense vetting process before it officially is integrated into the program. It is a good thing the information is being reviewed because they are making sure the information people are learning is of the highest quality. However, this means the information is very dated by the time people are learning it as a result. For foundational information, traditional education is a good way to learn it because they do not change as quickly. But when it comes to industries that are fast paced the information is not applicable by the time it reaches the students.
A lot of people are skeptical of online courses and I completely understand where they are coming from. For online courses, they can be or seem scamy since they are not usually through an accredited institution. I understand where people are coming from because I had that same mentality. However, the more I have looked into online courses the more I have realized it is a unique learning opportunity. Online programs can be constantly updated and many offer a lifetime membership. There are no traditional colleges that I am aware of that offer a lifetime membership for students but still the updating process of time sensitive information is slow. These online courses are not like your traditional college programs because there is no degree at the end of it. Online courses give you material you can apply to your industry.
Personally, I looked into an online course for an extended period of time before I decided it was something I wanted to try. Here is my advice when it comes to your education. You cannot put a price tag on investing in your own brain. I buy a lot of books, spend a lot of time researching, implementing, and so much more when it comes to knowledge. Always be trying to be better and learn more. If something catches your eye look into it and make an educated decision you feel is best for you. And if you are on the fence, I recommend jumping in with both feet. I just started an online course a little over a week ago and I have learned so much already. Looking back, I cannot believe it took me so long to make this decision. Take the leap of faith and believe in yourself.
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