Is Studies Really That Important?

[Roise]

Hi, 

Im not sure how is this self actualisation but it relates to productivity and hence I thought this is the most appropriate category to put down. I do understand that this is a website more for self improvement in the long term but I really need some short term motivation. I had always been a hardworking student from young because my parents really discpline me to perform well academically. I just study hard as I was told to. I get all the good grades and move on to the next level effortlessly. But this year, I got hit with one of the worst times I have in my academic journey. This year I got back my results for my favourite subject and it broke up my heart so terribly that I broke down immediately on the spot (I have never done this in my life before no matter how worse my grades may be). I cried 2 days without any appetite to eat or do other basic activities properly. My star literally went out. It felt like my heart has dried up and now regardless of what grades I get, I no longer feel anything at all. I dont feel the need to change my way of life. I dont feel the need to study. I dont feel the need to catch up with my classes, assignments, homework and tests. Afterall, how important are they in life? There is sure much more to life than academics. How important are those grades? What is the point of getting them? Slowly and unconsciously, I wasted half of my year in 2016 not doing a single productive thing to my academics when it is the most crucial year. I feel like everyone is too crazy chasing this superficial thing called grades and I refuse to join. I feel like finding my own happiness and doing things I like as though I am not controlled by the education system, as though I have no obligations and I am just on my holiday all the time. I feel like doing activities to find self actualisation and stuff but not study. I have watched Leo's video about motivation in the long term. But I wonder if that would help me now more or should I use some short term tactics. The amount of work to be done to be ready is mountaining up each day, depleting my motivation to even start. Do any of you have any useful advice or suggestions? I appreciate you for reading this and to give me any useful response (:

Edited June 10, 2016 by Roise

[Key Elements]

Hello..After I graduated from my university, I did not find grades and academics useful at all toward work life. After I got in touch with what I am good at and how to market it did I find my life purpose. Then so many things started falling into place. I thought if I had found my life purpose a lot sooner, I would have gotten better grades.

The little diagram map below helped me a lot. It's from the book Guide to Investing by Robert Kiyosaki. This is just the surface level of the journey. Once I dug deeper into my journey, it became much more clearer and clearer as I went along. Hope this helps. I'm just speaking from my experience. Take care & don't forget to have fun.

Edited June 9, 2016 by Key Elements

[charlie2dogs]

2 hours ago, Jess said:

Hi, 

Im not sure how is this self actualisation but it relates to productivity and hence I thought this is the most appropriate category to put down. I do understand that this is a website more for self improvement in the long term but I really need some short term motivation. I had always been a hardworking student from young because my parents really discpline me to perform well academically. I just study hard as I was told to. I get all the good grades and move on to the next level effortlessly. But this year, I got hit with one of the worst times I have in my academic journey. I have always loved and still love literature. It is the subject that enlightens me about life. I live in Singapore where in middle school or high school and even college, there arent subjects like philosophy or psychology so literature was the subject that got me into thinking more about life and starting my whole journey towards self actualisation. Unfortunately, my essay writing skills arent up to standard as far as that piece of A level exam which consists of only 3 essays are concerned. Usually, I was able to get around C or B grade and actually able to get some of the insights, otherwise known as evaluation required for A grade. However, I screwed up in that 3 hours of my life last year during my A level literature exam. This year I got back my results. It broke up my heart so terribly that I broke down immediately on the spot (I have never done this in my life before no matter how worse my grades may be). I cried 2 days without any appetite to eat or do other basic activities properly. My star literally went out. It felt like my heart has dried up and now regardless of what grades I get, I no longer feel anything at all. I dont feel the need to change my way of life. I dont feel the need to study. I dont feel the need to catch up with my classes, assignments, homework and tests. Afterall, how important are they in life? There is sure much more to life than academics. How important are those grades? What is the point of getting them? Slowly and unconsciously, I wasted half of my year in 2016 not doing a single productive thing to my academics when it is the most crucial year. I feel like everyone is too crazy chasing this superficial thing called grades and I refuse to join. I feel like finding my own happiness and doing things I like as though I am not controlled by the education system, as though I have no obligations and I am just on my holiday all the time. I feel like doing activities to find self actualisation and stuff but not study. I have watched Leo's video about motivation in the long term. But I wonder if that would help me now more or should I use some short term tactics. The amount of work to be done to be ready is mountaining up each day, depleting my motivation to even start. Do any of you have any useful advice or suggestions? I appreciate you for reading this and to give me any useful response (:

it seems that you have a big choice to make here.  you will either study hard, get an education that might make it possible for you to live a comfortable life as a human being without a lot of physical struggle, or you can choose a life of simplicity that may require less struggle on the surface.  In any event you will need to provide for your needs and  your desires of the flesh.  If you dont finish your education and get a good job what will you do to provide for yourself,  what kind of job will you take or have to take to do that.  Do you have a passion for anything in life that might give you the opportunity to do something that you might love that would take you through life?   the human identity needs a good education, and a good profession or job to make it through this life without a lot of misery.  right now you are the human identity, how do you want to live life as a human being. 

you said: I feel like finding my own happiness and doing things I like as though I am not controlled by the education system, as though I have no obligations and I am just on my holiday all the time. I feel like doing activities to find self actualisation and stuff but not study.

self actualization as viewed by most is work and study because its about personal growth.  none of it has anything to do with becoming self realized.

going to school and getting an education isnt about being controlled by the education system, its what you do with the education you get and what it gets you in life that matters. 

you most likely will be the human identity for possibly a long time,  there is nothing wrong with getting a good job and a good profession while you are that identity,  the alternative may not be pain and misery free.  if you are lucky you might find a job that you can live with, or even create one,  but in this world today there are millions who would like to be getting a good education to make their life easier while functioning as the human identity.  you are just starting in life but the decisions you make now may control the rest of your life.  the question is what do you want the rest of your life to look like cause this:

I feel like finding my own happiness and doing things I like as though I am not controlled by the education system, as though I have no obligations and I am just on my holiday all the time. I feel like doing activities to find self actualisation and stuff but not study

is not realistic.

[Roise]

@charlie2dogs  thank you for your response and advice.

Right now I feel like grades aren't a good indicator about one's knowledge and many a times, people say that grades dont actually matter after they have passed through the phase and looked back. I basically lost the motivation and interest in my remaining subjects which I am sure I wont want to major/minor/ further study them in future. And the subjects are management in business, accounting, maths and general paper. I feel like the first 3 subjects which are my h2s are pointless and doesnt add value to my life. Its like how do learning complex numbers benefit me at all?

I feel like good grades or not for my A level, I will get into a university and there will still be a way for me. Maybe I cant get into the autonomous ones but does it really matter? Afterall, in the world today there are people who are successful without good education. Is there a real need to follow this paper chase and rat race? You mentioned that I need to provide for my needs and wants. Honestly, I dont really need much in the sense that I dont have much materialist desires to fulfill. I desire mostly intangible things like happiness and solitude. 

You asked: Do you have a passion for anything in life that might give you the opportunity to do something that you might love that would take you through life?  

My passion is philosophy. Although I have not taken any courses on it, I feel passionate about philosophical ideas I read about, watch about online. I love all the deep ideas and the whole process of finding meaning to things, reasoning abstract ideas and considering different meanings of the simplest element of life. I think it can be a way to get my through life. 

[Roise]

@Key Elements thank you for your response. 

You mentioned: After I graduated from my university, I did not find grades and academics useful at all toward work life.

Does it mean that what I am doing (abandoning my academics) right now is ok? Or the right choice?

[reez]

7 hours ago, Roise said:

@Key Elements thank you for your response. 

You mentioned: After I graduated from my university, I did not find grades and academics useful at all toward work life.

Does it mean that what I am doing (abandoning my academics) right now is ok? Or the right choice?

It's different from person to person.

I personally dropped out from school this year (17 years old) and I believe it was the right choice for me. And even when I enjoy having dropped out of school it IS NOT something I would recommend for everyone. It sometimes might need you to work harder than your friends who decided to continue study.

I have been out from school for 7 months now, and I'm currently looking for others way to make a living instead of going to a 9-5 job. 

This way I'm looking at getting into is Real Estate investing, and depending on how it goes. I might feel motivated to go into school "part time" again. Since I already have something to get me money every month I would only go to school to "get through it" and be done with it for the rest of my life.

And even if I believe this is a way for me, I would not necessary recommend for you to drop out. I had multiple reasons in order to make me drop out. I was depressed through high-school, had 50% absence, switched school 3 times and during the summer I moved to a new city 200 km away. All of this together with the fact I didn't like school or my classmates I dropped out seeing there was no other alternative (was looking to get distance study as well as switching school, but was no possibility) made me drop out.

[Key Elements]

10 hours ago, Roise said:

@Key Elements thank you for your response. 

You mentioned: After I graduated from my university, I did not find grades and academics useful at all toward work life.

Does it mean that what I am doing (abandoning my academics) right now is ok? Or the right choice?

No...not exactly...I'm saying had I knew what my life purpose was at the time of my studies, I would have known what to major in and what courses to take and gotten excellent grades too. The life purpose helped me with things falling into place. 

In other words, what I'm saying is...I would have matched the courses up with my life purpose and majored in that.

What do you love to do with your life? How would you make that marketable? Did you know there are 3 main ways of making money-job, self-employment, and passive income? That's why I recommended you that book-a very easy read.

Edited June 10, 2016 by Key Elements