Albert Einstein once said, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination.” People may have different views on that point. Would someone with an MBA from Harvard be considered more intelligent than a painter with an art degree?
Certainly, it’s an open discussion. Regardless of who attends college or what profession they pursue, intelligence is not relegated to the well-off. Doctors and lawyers have earned the right to be highly respected and paid, but they may not necessarily be more intelligent than someone who couldn’t afford that caliber of education.
We believe that keeping their children on track for a dream profession or education is a top priority for parents, but perhaps enrolling in full-day kindergarten or an overly structured preschool may be a step too far. Lego recently conducted a study placing more importance on creative play than receiving formal education at a young age. It’s an interesting concept, as it weighs more toward Einstein’s theory of intelligence than we generally associate with our common core standards and higher-learning institutions.
One of the biggest concerns for many who do attend the finest educational institutions is often affordability, but the challenges don’t stop there. Some may hesitate to venture out of their comfort zones, asking what they may consider “stupid” questions in front of their peers. However, the main purpose in the classroom is to learn. We believe learning doesn’t stop in the classroom; some experts believe that a willingness to admit what you don’t know is the mark of a good manager.
[CLICK HERE to read the article, “Children Should Learn Mainly Through Play Until the Age of Eight, Says Lego,” from The Guardian, March 15, 2016.]
[CLICK HERE to view the video, “Are Good Managers Born or Made?” from Knowledge@Wharton, March 15, 2016.]
Without proper guidance, the financial industry can be one of those areas that make people feel like they’re not that smart. The truth is, you can spend a lifetime in this field and still not know everything. It evolves, and there’s always some new trend, product or phenomenon that we must analyze and figure out how it may impact our clients’ financial goals.
We want you to know that we’re here to help do that. You can come to us, regardless of your education on the matter, and we will help find answers to your questions based on your individual needs and objectives.
[CLICK HERE to read the article, “5 Reasons You Need a Financial Advisor in 2016,” from Guide Vine, Jan. 6, 2016.]
Not all of us are academics. With the Internet at our fingertips, there are more methods than ever to gain knowledge without entering a classroom. For some, it’s just a matter of priority and focus. Studies have found that focus is less about zoning in and more about ignoring extraneous distractions. If you can master the art of “blocking out,” your ability to learn gets much easier.
[CLICK HERE to read the article, “Learning what to ignore is a powerful tool for improving your focus,” from World Economic Forum, March 9, 2016.]
Certainly Thomas Jefferson was not fully on board with the idea of formal classroom learning. He advocated education through exploration not confined to a specific major or course of study. After all, students used to go to college to figure out what they wanted to be when they grew up. These days, students are encouraged to declare their major within their first year or two and spend their learning time preparing for a specific occupation.
There’s learning for the sake of information, and then there’s learning for the sake of accomplishing a specific goal. Perhaps Einstein fully explains this best. In his own words: “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”
[CLICK HERE to read the article, “Thomas Jefferson would not have liked this college trend,” from The Washington Post, March 18, 2016.]
[CLICK HERE to read the article, “Creativity and learning for the Conceptual Age,” from The Brookings Institution, March 14, 2016.]
Nate Miller
www.millerretirementgroup.com
Miller Retirement Group is an independent firm helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of insurance and investment products to custom suit their needs and objectives.
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