School is meant to prepare young people for life. But unfortunately, some of the most essential skills we need in the outside world aren’t formally taught in classrooms. It’s even more unfortunate when you realize that your life and career depends on some of these skills. You then might have to learn them from the hard lessons of life or live with the consequences of not having them; which is quite unfortunate.
The good news is that, it’s never too late to learn. You can start reading and practicing these skills today.
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So today, we bring you 10 skills that should be taught in school but are not. Warren Buffet, the third richest man believes the number 9 skill can double your net worth.
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- Personal finance
If our daily lives is practically run with ‘money’, why is there little to no emphasis on personal finance in our education system? This should be a subject on it’s own, educating young people from teen age about how money works.
Leaving school and suddenly being in charge of bills and your own money can be overwhelming for many young people today because they lack the education on money. It’s no wonder that many educated people have poor money skill and end up leaving average lives. Math classes could incorporate some real world examples to teach kids the basics of budgeting, debt, compounding interest, saving and investing.
- Mindfulness
The stress of being a teenager and young adult should NEVER be underestimated. Kids face a huge amount of mental stress, and unlike parents, they don’t know how to handle and deal with it.
Mindfulness can help students develop skills for concentration and impulse control. It would help young people (and even old people) to better manage their worrying thoughts and discover how the brain and mind really works. Simple mediation, breathing skills and finding how to ‘be in the moment’ is a valuable skill that will stay with you for life.
- Survival skills
You probably watch Bear Grylls, the survivalist, on Discovery Channels demonstrating those survival techniques in harsh conditions. Although most people will hope they never have to use such skills, but it’s better to be prepared.
This involves simple mechanics skills, first aid, shelter and fire building, food foraging and self-defense. By being pro-active and taking control of your ability to handle a dangerous situation, survival skills can be a brilliant confidence builder.
- Mental health
Schools are putting big emphasis on physical fitness. While that is good, mental health is equally as important. Especially for young people!
Why are people afraid to talk about depression? The answer is mostly because most people are not educated about the causes, effects and possible damage of depression. People refer to suicide victims as weak and make joke about them because they are not educated about mental health.
Stress management skills, symptoms of depression and addiction, and just learning how to have frank and open conversations about how our mental state is, can go a long way in helping victims and also encouraging victims to seek help.
- Sustainable living
With the continued climate change and disposable fashion, learning how to live sustainably will soon become even more important. Educating young people about climate change, its causes and effects, how to enjoy an eco-friendly lifestyle and eco-friendly products can go a long way.
- Human rights
Young people living in privileged countries may often take for granted the very basic human rights that so many others across the world don’t have.
Learning about refugee rights, conflict resolution, and looking at examples of case studies will help teens to develop empathy and a desire to help bring about change for good.
- Programming language
Just as mathematics and English used to be compulsory in school, programming language should become a default subject to be taught in schools. The world is fast becoming more digitalized. While we are learning the language of humans, you have to start laying emphasis on learning the language of computers.
- Negotiation Skills
With every human interaction, we negotiate on a daily bases; when we are making a purchase, at home with family members, at work with co-works and employers.
Even when there is nobody around, we negotiate with ourselves, to either complete that task or watch one more video on Instagram. Since this is an essential part of human interaction, negotiation is a skill school should have taught us to be better at, don’t you think?
- Effective Communication Skill
George Jessel, an American actor once said, “The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.”
Learning how to communicate effectively is one of the most important skills any human being can develop. In fact, Warren Buffet believes it is the easiest way to double your net worth. If communication skill is this important, why isn’t it thought in school? While I don’t have the answer, I do know that it’s never too late for anyone to develop this skill with practice.
- How to Start a Business
Most young people leave school with the sole expectation to get a job. By learning and understanding how to start and grow a business, young people can be either inspired to start their own business and create jobs, or they’ll be better employees since they understand what it takes to start and grow a business.
In conclusion, while we can’t change the education system in the short term, we can take the responsibility to learn and develop these essential skills. For personal finance, start learning to manage, save and invest money. Learn about mindfulness and human psychology. Start learning programming language if it interest you. Get involved in activities that allow you to practice your communication skills. Or start a business and figure how to make it work.
The skills you develop will be yours to keep for a lifetime. You might just end up multiplying your net worth in return. Let us know which of these skills interest you the most.
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