Everything School Taught Was Wrong
Why we must unlearn school
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Read time - Less than 5 minutes
Naval Ravikant famously said: "The overeducated are worse off than the undereducated, having traded common sense for the illusion of knowledge."
If you look back to your schooling days, that’s exactly how it is.
In today’s issue, I will talk about why everything schools taught was wrong and how we can unlearn their teachings.
Hardly anything in life is a linear process.
Yet, this is how schools train us.
They tell you to:
Follow methods A, B and C
Don't question the textbook
Write a 1000-word essay
Translate this to the working life:
We conduct methods A, B and C when the solution is simpler
We don't question bad practices
We write long and bombastic presentations even though people want short & quick to digest information
This conditions us to approach problems in a rigid, step-by-step manner without ever questioning why we do it in the first place.
Here are 3 things we need to unlearn from school:
1) Overcomplicating solutions
We are taught to use complex, step-by-step methods when a simpler approach would suffice.
Eric Ries, who wrote "The Lean Startup" said: "The lesson of the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is that any additional work beyond what was required to start learning is waste, no matter how important it might have seemed at the time."
So instead of following what schools taught, why not adopt the ‘lean’ experimental approach?
2) Blindly following bad practices
Questioning the status quo becomes difficult when this is what schools drilled into us.
“Never question your teachers or authorities” is repeated to us as kids over and over again.
However, if this is how we keep approaching life, it can hinder us later on, as we are afraid to push the envelope and explore unconventional routes.
(I teach in The Job Hunting Toolbox how to explore unconventional routes)
3) Communicating in complex languages
In school, we are taught to create long, complicated presentations or essays when in contrast humans have a short attention span.
David Ogilvy, who was the ‘Father of Advertising’ said: “When I write an advertisement, I don’t want you to tell me that you find it ‘creative’. I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.”
It's to figure out the best way to communicate and achieve results, not trying to impress people with complicated language and ‘creativity’.
Break free from school
The path forward involves figuring out what works through trial and error, even if it means breaking some established rules.
I’ll leave you with 3 Don'ts:
Don’t overcomplicate solutions
Don’t blindly follow bad practices
Don’t communicate in complex languages
School taught you what to think, but not how to think.
If you're feeling lost or unfulfilled, it's time to unlearn those old patterns and rediscover your authentic self.
Consider taking The Modern Thinking Toolbox (only $1) by equipping yourself with powerful mental models to navigate life with clarity and purpose.
Already joined? Then turn your newfound self-awareness into a fulfilling career with The Job Hunting Toolbox.
Land your dream job with confidence. Learn how to identify your passions, craft compelling résumés, and stand out to recruiters.
That’s all for today.
See you next week.
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