Donkeys, Fishing Poles, and Education.

The world class understands the difference between having and being. The word educate comes from the Latin word 'educo' meaning to educe, to draw out, to develop within. Does your 'education' help you develop your inner being, does it help draw out your essence? Or is education something you have acquired, like a cart of books tied to a donkey? The books do nothing for the donkey accept increase his burden, and if knowledge does not contribute to your being then it only increases your burden. The proper use of knowledge is as important, if not more so, than the knowledge itself.

The idea that learning should be measured by how much "what" you have acquired is ineffective. Rather learning should be measured by how much "how" you have acquired. It is through "how" that change occurs, not "what." When we use learning to acquire more and more "what" we make great Jeopardy contestants, but when we use learning to acquire more and more "how" we make great artisans, great teachers, great human beings. Learning 'what' a fishing pole is, is a far cry from learning 'how' a fishing pole works. With the former, you collect knowledge, with the latter, you collect fish.