Book Smart vs Street Smart

“My mother always said I must be tolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy.”

-Maya Angelou

I’ve always wondered what prepares us for life as far as intelligence is concerned.

Some have always preached education over everything else. Others say that infinite degrees will never help you without life experience.

I think it’s safe to conclude that overall, we need a healthy balance of both.

A formal education is needed to gain an informative introduction in any field.

For example, you can’t go to a medical school without knowing biology at a rudimentary level (and in most cases even higher).

But simultaneously, you never get a feel for any field until you actually experience it the worst.

Patients, clients and/or customers don’t pick their problems from textbooks. They just happen.

While on the subject, it’s also important to note never to judge a person by their education level.

To conclude, we need a little bit of every hing to move forward in life.

You need some sort of formal education, especially in the earlier years of your life. You also need life experience, especially as time moves on.

How far did you study in formal education? How important was or is it in your career today?

Join this discussion by commenting below.

1 thought on “Book Smart vs Street Smart”

  1. I think it is important to have both in order to make it through life.
    I always told my sister who went to school to be a journalist, you have to have the right mindset for it. You can have all the brains in the world when it comes to books. But, as far as knowledge on the streets that’s a whole new world. The pictures you see come to life. It becomes real and people you think you can trust become your enemy. You can not turn your back and your eyes must stay open. Money is power no matter the cost. People will sell you out to save themselves. Loyalty does not matter blood does have a distinct odor when you are up close and personal.
    I wish I would have went a different direction in my life sometimes.
    Then I would have never been able to help guide her and other’s through the mistakes I have made.

Leave a Comment