Photo Credit: Pictures of Money

The School of Money

Most books dealing with money tend to be too advanced for average people.  If you've read me long enough, you know that I am pretty conservative with my finances.  That conservatism has generally worked well for me, my family, and the church that I help lead.  It's possible this post could lead to a series of posts; let me know what you think.

First Grade — Preparing to Work

It could be our culture.  It could be the way that public schools are organized.  My guess is that parents don't talk about it much, and think that it will happen easily.  The transition of children learning to eventually applying their learning to work is a difficult thing in a world where there are many things to do, and not enough practicality involved in education.

Part of the problem is not having or developing an attitude of service.  There is no shame in helping others.  In one sense, compensation derives from how many people you help, times how valuable your contribution to that good or service is.

So, rather than “following your bliss,” the best work comes from enabling the bliss of others.  It is rare that anyone will pay you for doing what you enjoy, and only that.  Most work involves some things that are disagreeable.  It's important to look for the good that you can do in the midst of difficulty.  Sometimes that greatest value comes from finding a new way to deal with difficulties, and making processes more productive as a result.

Somewhere around age 15, young people need to see what areas in the economy need talent, and what sort of skills are needed.  In addition to specific skills, remember that in much of life mathematical reasoning, verbal skills, and genuine curiosity for solving problems will apply to a wide number of situations.  Remember, the economy will be different 20 years from now in ways we do not presently fathom.  Being able to think creatively and critically, and being able to express it well in oral and written ways will never go out of fashion. (As an aside, that is one of the criticisms I hear in the local money management community.  Young people come out of college, but cannot express themselves well in writing.)