We live in a very exciting age, as we are given the opportunity to move our education forward and to access all past and present knowledge – and the future is just around the corner. Sometimes, the offer is just overwelming, and it feels more comfortable to watch Netflix or Amazon Prime.
But as usual, if we want to succeed and develop, we have to actively work on it, going in the direction we want to be. So I prefer to spend some of my time on paving the way for my future, instead of consuming TV from the couch.
It doesn’t mean that I never watch some shows or spend time with “futile” activities. For me, it’s enough to read about a topic that interests me and share some of my thoughts with friends, family or you over the blog.
For example, I read non-fiction literature almost every day for at least one hour a day, and I love it!
The foundations for our path are laid very early on, starting with compulsory schooling. I myself spent this time rather only having fun, instead of also thinking of what skill and what knowledge would help me in the future. Very few school subjects interested me, so I decided to play a lot of videogames after school at that time, instead of focussing on my future.
In retrospect, I didn’t take school – and my education in general – seriously enough. Fortunately for me I never had any problems with learning: what I did during school hours was enough for me to achieve good results, but now I regret wasting that prolific time.
Education is now very important to me, but not intented as the passive consumption of knowledge as you may have experienced at school or perhaps also in university. I do like to understand what is happening around me and actually having relevance for me, so I often read and speak about financial topics, but also history, scientific topics – the biology of sharks is just amazing! – and technologies.
But education isn’t limited to reading books. In fact, without putting the newly acquired knowledge into practice, you will miss the most important benefit of knowledge. As Einstein pointed it out: The only source of knowledge is experience.
Going back to university can be as trilling as unexpensive when there are monthly or even weekly discussion events, uninformal symposia open to anyone, free workshops and meetups organized by volunteers and enthusiasts just for the sake of sharing their passion.
Some examples from my educational readings…
Here is an overview of books I am reading right now:
Einstein, His Life and Universe – Walter Isaacson
Walter Isaacson, the author of the acclaimed biographies die Steve Job and Benjamin Franklin, offers another excellent biography. This time the protagonist is Albert Einstein, arguably the most famous and best-loved scientist of all time.
Isaacson investigates the close link between creativity and freedom that made a theoretical physicist capable of the most complicated abstractions into a charismatic public figure committed to championing the cause of peace and social justice, explaining in a fairly simple way the concepts of physics that caused such a stir at the time.
Sharks of the World: A Complete Guide – David A. Ebert, Sarah Fowler, Marc Dando
The two authors, David Ebert and Sarah Fowler, are two of the world’s leading experts on sharks of these days. David is the director of the Pacific Shark Research Center at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, while Sarah is a scientific advisor of the “Save our seas” Foundation and has over 30 years of experience in the field.
I think his book is a masterpiece, as it covers all different topics regarding sharks: taxonomy, biology, anatomy and many other ending with -y. It offers lots of insights that can satisfy also the readers with a professional interest in sharks, as well as laypersons like myself. I find the Ampullae of Lorenzini particularly fascinating!
Rich Dad’s Guide to Investing – Robert T. Kiyosaki
The main purpose of this book of the Rich dad, poor dad series is to investigate where the rich invest their money. Staying true to his literal style, Robert Kiyosaki makes use of personal anecdotes and the teachings of his Rich Father to explain how to invest money intelligently.
The book has about 400 pages, and it contains lots of useful information. For me, it is a long-term investment guide to understand how money works and how to invest in a smart way.
I love reading, but perhaps you have a different approach, or you prefer learning new programming languages or statistical methods on platforms like datacamp. Regardless of the platform or medium, the focus should be on practicing the absorbed knowledge.
…and two meetups I am participating in (amost) regularly
Data Visualization in Munich Meetup
The group provides a platform for organizing photography workshops of various kind, from basic camera operation, digital post-processing to specialized themes such as food photography or studio portraits. Whether you are a beginner or a veteran, there will always be some new aspect of photography worth exploring.
Photography Workshops Munich
This group is for anyone interested in visualization in the context of exploring, analyzing or communicating data. The group will focus on sharing experiences and pushing the boundaries of current state-of-the-art visualizations.
Additional benefits of education
When we learn something new, new neural pathways form in our brain. The brain is like a muscle – even if it is not one -: you have to challenge and train it regularly to maintain its performance. That’s why it’s important to keep your mind fit, regardless of your age.
The neurotransmitter dopamine plays an important role in the formation of neural pathways: it helps store information in our long-term memory. It also ensures that opium-like substances are released in our brain as soon as we learn something new or have a surprising, positive experience – such as when we succeed in solving a difficult task.
So the brain rewards us with feelings of happiness when we successfully learn something new, regardless of it’s a new language, how the Lorenzini’s ampullae work or a math formula.
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