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Listen "019 – The Most Useful Classes I Took in High School"
Episode Synopsis
Traditional education is useful. But did it set you up with everything you need to navigate the waters ahead? If you could go back to high school and do it over again, what classes would you have taken?
In this episode of Creativity Excitement Emotion, David shares the most valuable education he got in high school.
Sponsors:
Clean Slate: The most exciting and inspirational New Year live music and multi-media event you’ve ever been to. Get your tickets now, before they’re gone!
Highlights:
00:17 – The usefulness of school for artists, freelancers, and entrepreneurs
00:58 – It’s cheaper to travel the world than it is to live in a major city
01:50 – School leaves you with many incorrect assumptions
02:27 – #1: Typing / keyboarding
03:20 – #2: English
07:15 – #3: Art
08:05 – What David would have done differently
Transcript:
So, I got to thinking today. What are the most useful classes I ended up taking in high school?
School has limited use for freelancers, entrepreneurs, sometimes even artists. I said “limited use.” I didn't say no use.
School is an important part of our growth and yet it has the potential to be so much better, not lead people down these hallways of “This is life, this is how it is, and this is the way you should be.”
People get stuck there and then they end up living lives that they don't want, don't like. They're not able to create the life they love because they're limited by everything.
I remember having a conversation about how it's cheaper to travel the world than it is to live in a major city.
People are like, “No way, no way. You need a lot of money to travel the world.”
I'm like, “No, you don't. You don't. You literally don't. It is cheaper to travel the world than it is to live in a major city like New York or LA.” I find it surprising that people think that's surprising.
Now, of course, it depends on how you route your trip. Waste all your money in Zurich or something like that. It depends on how you route your trip.
But if for example, you spend a good chunk of your time in Asia… Honestly, even if you go to Japan and stay in Tokyo, chances are it's cheaper than most major cities in North America. It just is. The food is way cheaper.
So, school is leaving people with a lot of incorrect assumptions. That, combined with the fact that our ego wants to be right about everything. It's a dangerous combination for getting stuck in a certain way of life that's dictated to you, instead of the life by your creation. Life by default, instead of life by design. That’s my preamble.
School is leaving people with many incorrect assumptions.Share on X
But this one is about focusing on what were the most useful subjects and classes in school.
Number one for me. Absolutely number one for me. It may be something that everyone can do nowadays, but it wasn't always the case, especially when I was growing up, and that's typing.
I did not like my teacher all that much. She had a strict “three strikes out” policy. If you missed your homework, like it was not exactly easy to remember. And this was even an elective course if I'm not mistaken, it was not a core subject. But if you missed your homework three times, didn't get a signature from your parent, you were out. That was it. You were not going to get a pass in that course. I did not like that system. I did not like my teacher.
What did I learn though? I learned how to type. You know what? That's like an essential skill now. I'm just glad that I was ahead of the curve rather than behind it.
Number two is English. I ended up starting in English 10, just like everybody else. I didn't do very well. Probably because I grew up in Japan. I was still only two years living in Canada, not even one full year. And so, I'm taking English at the level that everyone else is taking it and I'm struggling a little bit.
And the biggest thing was reading speed. I don't know. I don't even know that to this day I have a re...
In this episode of Creativity Excitement Emotion, David shares the most valuable education he got in high school.
Sponsors:
Clean Slate: The most exciting and inspirational New Year live music and multi-media event you’ve ever been to. Get your tickets now, before they’re gone!
Highlights:
00:17 – The usefulness of school for artists, freelancers, and entrepreneurs
00:58 – It’s cheaper to travel the world than it is to live in a major city
01:50 – School leaves you with many incorrect assumptions
02:27 – #1: Typing / keyboarding
03:20 – #2: English
07:15 – #3: Art
08:05 – What David would have done differently
Transcript:
So, I got to thinking today. What are the most useful classes I ended up taking in high school?
School has limited use for freelancers, entrepreneurs, sometimes even artists. I said “limited use.” I didn't say no use.
School is an important part of our growth and yet it has the potential to be so much better, not lead people down these hallways of “This is life, this is how it is, and this is the way you should be.”
People get stuck there and then they end up living lives that they don't want, don't like. They're not able to create the life they love because they're limited by everything.
I remember having a conversation about how it's cheaper to travel the world than it is to live in a major city.
People are like, “No way, no way. You need a lot of money to travel the world.”
I'm like, “No, you don't. You don't. You literally don't. It is cheaper to travel the world than it is to live in a major city like New York or LA.” I find it surprising that people think that's surprising.
Now, of course, it depends on how you route your trip. Waste all your money in Zurich or something like that. It depends on how you route your trip.
But if for example, you spend a good chunk of your time in Asia… Honestly, even if you go to Japan and stay in Tokyo, chances are it's cheaper than most major cities in North America. It just is. The food is way cheaper.
So, school is leaving people with a lot of incorrect assumptions. That, combined with the fact that our ego wants to be right about everything. It's a dangerous combination for getting stuck in a certain way of life that's dictated to you, instead of the life by your creation. Life by default, instead of life by design. That’s my preamble.
School is leaving people with many incorrect assumptions.Share on X
But this one is about focusing on what were the most useful subjects and classes in school.
Number one for me. Absolutely number one for me. It may be something that everyone can do nowadays, but it wasn't always the case, especially when I was growing up, and that's typing.
I did not like my teacher all that much. She had a strict “three strikes out” policy. If you missed your homework, like it was not exactly easy to remember. And this was even an elective course if I'm not mistaken, it was not a core subject. But if you missed your homework three times, didn't get a signature from your parent, you were out. That was it. You were not going to get a pass in that course. I did not like that system. I did not like my teacher.
What did I learn though? I learned how to type. You know what? That's like an essential skill now. I'm just glad that I was ahead of the curve rather than behind it.
Number two is English. I ended up starting in English 10, just like everybody else. I didn't do very well. Probably because I grew up in Japan. I was still only two years living in Canada, not even one full year. And so, I'm taking English at the level that everyone else is taking it and I'm struggling a little bit.
And the biggest thing was reading speed. I don't know. I don't even know that to this day I have a re...
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