Welcome to Day 59 of the 90-Day Comeback Challenge, which is all about the school system. What are the critical differences between school and work life? And what would I change to improve the school system? My thoughts and experiences in this article.
1. Grades vs. Real Performance
In school, it’s primarily about getting good grades. Whether you get an A, B, or C often doesn’t matter as long as you pass. In professional life, however, competition is much tougher. Here, only top performance counts, and only the best get the biggest advantages, whether in salary or job responsibilities. The school system often doesn’t adequately prepare us for this reality. It should offer more practical experiences to ease the transition into professional life.
2. Popularity vs. Expertise
In school, you often want to be the cool kid, popular and excelling in sports. In professional life, it’s different: here, you want to be the expert, the one who excels in your field. Technical competence and specialized knowledge are much more valuable than mere popularity. I was lucky to combine both in school, but I know it’s not always easy.
3. Error Culture
In school, you are punished for making mistakes, and the focus is often on avoiding them. In professional life and especially in entrepreneurship, mistakes are part of the learning process. It’s about avoiding major mistakes and learning from minor ones. The key is to gain more from your successes than you lose from your mistakes. The school system should encourage more experimentation and learning from errors.
4. Copying vs. Collaboration
In school, copying is strictly prohibited. In professional life, however, observing and learning from others is not only allowed but essential for success. Successful companies copy from the best and improve existing ideas. This should also be encouraged in school—not illegal copying, but collaborative learning and knowledge sharing.
5. Deadlines vs. Long-term Goals
In school, there are constant deadlines—for homework, exams, projects. In professional life, fixed deadlines are rarer. It’s often about long-term goals and achieving major milestones without strict time constraints. I describe this principle in detail in my book “The Time Horizon Principle.” Schools should focus less on short-term deadlines and more on developing long-term skills and goals.
These five points clearly show how different school and professional life are. What do you think about this? Are there any important aspects missing? Let me know. I wish you a fantastic Friday and a relaxing weekend. See you tomorrow!
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Your Julian
Entrepreneur / Investor / Athlete / Father
