The notion of education as equivalent to the key to success has remained quite traditional for each one of its successive generations in human society. Every child since childhood has been inducted with the idea that a good education will lead to a good life, one full of an enriching career and overall success. It brings one to wonder, once again, in such a fast-changing world with a very different, multi-dimensional structure of what is perceived as ‘success,’ whether education alone can be considered a yardstick of success, or whether it is merely one of the yardsticks of success.
The Traditional View
Throughout history, education has traditionally been looked upon as a spur to success. For most, a good education that enables one to get a good job and gradually work his way to the top has been the way forward. Through education, one is provided with the necessary know-how, skills, and appropriate qualifications in order to actively and progressively proceed in the particular field of career. Most people would agree that the aforementioned careers are not just important but are in reality very essential.
It has also been posited that this opens up one’s horizons, makes one a critical thinker, and thus helps one to understand the world at large. These are some of the attributes that can result in personal and professional success on different levels. Education also offers an opportunity for networking, a vital tool necessary in career advancement.
A Changing Paradigm
For the changing world comes a new definition of how success is defined. The paths to achieving success in the 21st century are exponentially more varied than at any point in previous generations. Entrepreneurship, creative industries, technology, but even social media, open doors where traditional education is not always necessary. Whereas the stories of successful college dropouts, of the molds of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg, have already fanned the debate that passion, creativity, and perseverance suffice to rival formal schools.
Many others, however, actually fare pretty well for themselves, accomplishing being done with unique skills and talents learned on the job or from online resources. In fact, with the availability and widespread use of online courses, tutorials, and learning platforms like Coursera and Khan Academy, it has truly been made possible to acquire knowledge and skills without formal education.
The Role and Context of Education
The value of education, through these changes, remains very high. Though, how education comes about, playing a role in success, is vastly more complex than the traditional model could have suggested. Modern learning is not much a point of learning but learning how to learn, adjusting to new settings, and thinking critically. In this era of high-paced technological change, one might argue that the capacity to learn and adapt will outweigh all other skills and information.
But then again, education can make a difference as it can open the equal opportunity doors to those who were not capable of doing so before. In this sense, for a lot of people—especially marginalized people—education is like a ticket out of poverty and a pass out of the unyielding problems of not being able to elevate oneself socially in society.
Beyond Education: The Other Keys to Success
Education is a must if one is to build from a strong foundation, yet is in no way the one determiner of success. Other basic determiners of success involve such skill sets, including resilience, emotional intelligence, creativity, and the skill of approaching others well and maintaining relationships, with elements of uncertainty that change, embrace continual learning and growth. There are all determinants to survive well in a world of fast turnover.
Moreover, in real life, one’s personal circumstances, luck, and the opportunities that one is exposed to determine to a very great extent the success that one is going to enjoy in life. Education can open doors, but it is the drive, ambition, and the ability to harness the potential of these opportunities that will make the difference.
Conclusion
Does education equal success? While education is one great key, really an asset to a great degree, contributing much toward one’s road to success, at the same time, it is not the only key. In a more of an expanding definition of success and paths to get to it, not necessarily straight lies a world where education is only one part of the puzzle. Education will only be complete if it is mingled with some other very important pieces: passion, perseverance, adaptability, and the willingness to take risks.
