Success tips: 6 habits for truly memorable education.

Success tips: 6 habits for truly memorable education (based on the article ‘Success tips: 6 habits of truly memorable people,’ by Jeff Haden).

I am going to explain how you can make education a memorable affair based on tips from a rather inane article I just read on how you can make yourself a memorable person. I had to question though, why anyone would seek to make themselves memorable. It seems to me that being memorable is an outcome of following where your passions and interests lead and these then having an impact on the world around you- rather than consciously setting out to merely

‘be memorable.’

Anyway, criticism aside, let’s begin.

1. Don’t see. Do.

If you are familiar with natural learning and unschooling, you will recognize immediately in this idea that ‘doing’ is the biggest part of self-directed learning.

For a memorable education, it’s about gaining experiences, developing skills, pursuing your deepest passions. So of course you are going to be doing. It is not about being passive; lamely swallowing what is dished out for you like a receptor to fill. No. It’s about action;-having agency over what you want to learn and when you want to learn it.

Author, former teacher and natural learning advocate, John Taylor Gatto says it best: “You don’t get an education. You TAKE and education.”

2.  Do something unusual.

Here’s a creed to go by for memorable education: ‘Create the extraordinary,’ or ‘Embrace the curious and the strange.’ ‘Unusual’ is thought provoking and stimulating. ‘Unusual’ is welcomed and celebrated. We aim to be intrigued.

3. Embark on a worthless mission.

While the writer recommends doing something crazy for the heck of it and see where it leads, just for fun, I want to say something about ‘worthless.’ Fun is not worthless. Fun is integral to being human and is necessary and valuable. ­Also, when ‘nothing’ is going on, often it could be a time where kids and grownups alike are actually emptying themselves of the ‘every day’ routine of life. What’s more, fun opens up all sorts of opportunities leading to life-long passions that who knows, might end up as an occupation.

4. Embrace a cause.

When you are following your heart, bumping up against like minded people pursuing similar interests is inevitable. Your education is immediately and effortlessly enhanced as you are doing ­­­­something that’s meaningful to you; within the company of collaborators and supporters.  

5. Let other people spread the word.

About how great you are, as the article suggests? Nah. Someone said it somewhere, “The more you know, the less you show.”What really happens is that when you are self-directed and pursuing your education through your interests, opportunity knocks, doors open, the universe aids you along.

6. Get over yourself.

This is my favourite. We are all learners, every single one of us. When you’re pursuing a memorable education, that fact is in your face. You don’t forget it. You’re not ‘done learning’ because you’re not in school, or because it’s summer time. You’re not going to stop learning because you’re too old. You ‘get over yourself’ means you don’t put limitations on yourself and you learn from everyone around you. You dare to try new things and new ideas.You contribute. And you nurture the ability to laugh at your mistakes and failures, and not let fear of ridicule stand in your way of learning and leading a good life.