In Life, We Can Only Be Better

Summary

The author reflects on the invaluable life lessons learned outside of school through personal experiences, emphasizing the importance of continuous self-improvement and resilience.

Abstract

The article titled "In Life, We Can Only Be Better" delves into the author's personal growth over a decade of work, contrasting the practical knowledge gained in real life with formal education. The author highlights the challenges of dealing with difficult individuals, facing failures, stepping out of comfort zones, and recognizing the unlimited potential in people, including themselves. Unlike the structured learning environment of school, life's lessons are often accompanied by irreversible consequences, prompting the author to embrace a mindset of perpetual betterment. Drawing from a Chinese proverb, the author concludes that stagnation in personal development is akin to regression, advocating for a commitment to ongoing improvement rather than striving to be the best in a static sense.

Opinions

The author believes that real-life experiences are more educational than formal schooling in certain aspects, such as handling interpersonal conflicts and recovering from setbacks.
There is a strong emphasis on the idea that life does not offer second chances as readily as school does, making each failure a critical learning opportunity.
The author values the potential for growth in oneself and others beyond the limitations imposed by academic assessments.
The article suggests that personal development is an ongoing process, akin to rowing upstream, where stopping leads to falling behind.
The author encourages a philosophy of striving to be better rather than focusing on being the best, implying a continuous journey of self

Some lessons I learned the hard way

The past ten years at work have taught me more than I could have learned in school. Learning never stops, even after leaving school. There are lessons to learn outside of school after I paid the tuition fees with tears and probably a few drops of blood (ouch!).

I have learned to deal with difficult people (REALLY. DIFFICULT. PEOPLE), which was never taught in school.

I have learned to deal with failures. I can’t remember anyone teaching me this.

I have learned to push myself out of my comfort zone. In school, we were in our comfort zone already!

I have learned to see endless probability in people and myself. In school, they set limits on us using our test scores!

There is a difference between learning in school and life — when failing in school, one would get a second chance; but in life, every failure has a lesson that one has to learn.

In the end, I realized I could be the best at school but only be better in life. I could continually improve, but never stop improving. As a Chinese proverb said, “learning is like rowing upstream; not to advance is to drop back”.

Always try to be better, not the best.

Hey there, this is another writing prompt from Ellie Jacobson for Flint & Steel. I hope you like this story, and it has sat in my draft for quite a while. It could have collected more dust if it was not because of Ellie’s prompt.

Thanks Kaori Mitsui for tagging me in one of her stories responding to the writing prompts.