The belief we hold in the educational institution is a myth. Many of us are told by our parents, “If you don’t want to be flipping burgers for the rest of your life, you will need to get good grades and go to college!”We are lead to believe if we receive top grades, we will enter into a great college, and then in turn land an awesome job. In short, we trade our time and lives for a job where we are working for someone else and don’t reap the benefits. This scheme is designed for complacency not for individual happiness.
The design of the education system allows for us to fear competition and survive in a world of red tape. Education is not just an institution, but an action for any individual to take part in; analyzing the world and society. This can be achieved through reading, observing, listening, and interacting with others. If a person wanted to learn how to be a business owner, they wouldn’t necessarily need to go to school, but instead watch and learn from other business owners. Therefore, the complacency and lack of empowerment within the educational system does not create happiness.
The truth is hidden behind the motivation of the educational system. What is it that people want or desire? Why do people attend college? The answer: people are looking for an opportunity where they will find happiness. When many of us think about college and a career afterwards, we envision a life where we own a home, are married and have children, and are comfortable enough to go on vacation as well as retire early, so we can live how we want. Sure, it is possible to achieve happiness from the educational institution, but not probable. Many attend college and can’t find jobs, or if they do find work, their job isn’t secure. They will always be replaceable and could be let go with a flick of a pen.
Research studies across the country report that college and happiness don’t go hand-in-hand. People learn to think in college. They learn ethics in writing and about the corporate world: to be an employee. Students don’t have to be in a classroom to learn. In this day and age, a wealth of knowledge is available through social media, downloadable books (audio and written), and even in the form of videos. Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. People can change their thinking by stepping out of their boxes, deciding to learn, opening a business and then taking courses, which lead to success. We are taught to follow the masses, but not to lead and become an independent thinker.
Freeing your mind from the iron bars placed by society and learning about motivation as well as keys to success are encouraged in order to receive the best possible outcomes in life. If we discover the roots of our motivation and why we want to go to school, we can then begin to untangle the mess we have been taught and begin to truly think for ourselves. Becoming free, we can discover our inner voice and learn to listen to our desires and then find the path to reach our goals. Happiness isn’t about education, it is about growth and opportunity and taking action for that opportunity. We are ultimately responsible for our actions.
People don’t just wake up one day and have happiness. Happiness comes from the decisions and choices we make in our past and present. The same is true with the education institution. There is a huge difference between a student attending college because they want to be a counselor and studying outside of the classroom on their target market and a student attending college just because they were told they could get a better income and job, but don’t put forth the effort, but expect the results. Many students are in college now because they believe they will find happiness equated with a secure job that offers high pay and benefits because that is what they have been told. This belief in the educational system is a myth. In order to truly find happiness and reach our goals, we have to free ourselves from limited thinking and learn to adapt. We need to learn the ins and outs of what it means to be successful and happy, not just one avenue.
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