Think and Grow Rich

Chapter 12 Expertise: Personal Experience and Insights (1)
An educated person does not necessarily have a rich
general and professional knowledge.An educated person should have a well-developed thinking ability and be able to get what he wants without violating the rights of others.

There are two types of knowledge: general knowledge and specialized knowledge.Common knowledge, however extensive and rich it may be, is of little use in accumulating wealth.The various departments in famous universities should be said to have gathered all kinds of general knowledge in the history of human civilization, but most of the professors are not rich.They specialize in disseminating knowledge, but not in organizing or applying it.

Knowledge will not attract money automatically. Only when knowledge is organized and guided through a feasible plan can we move towards the goal of accumulating wealth.It is because of a lack of awareness of this fact that people mistakenly believe that "knowledge is power".In fact, this is nothing at all!Knowledge is simply latent power.Knowledge becomes power only, and if it is combined with a clear plan of action and definite purpose.

In today's civilized society, such a "disconnect" in the education system can be seen everywhere, because educational institutions do not teach students how to organize and use knowledge after they have learned it.Because Henry Ford did not go to school for a few days, he thought that his education level was not high, and many people had such a wrong understanding.And those who make this mistake neither know Henry Ford nor understand what the word "education" really means.The word originates from the Latin word "educo", which means to deduce, develop, deduce from the inside out.

An educated person does not necessarily have a wealth of general knowledge and professional knowledge.An educated person should have a well-developed thinking ability and be able to get what he wants without violating the rights of others.Henry Ford understood this definition very well.

During World War I, a Chicago newspaper blatantly called Henry Ford an "ignorant pacifist" in an editorial.Mr. Ford objected to this notion and sued the paper for libel.When the court began to hear the case, the lawyer for the newspaper put Mr. Ford himself on the witness stand during the defense process, proving his ignorance to the jury through practical actions.The lawyer asked Mr. Ford all kinds of questions, all of which were designed to establish that, while Mr. Ford had extensive expertise in making cars, he had very little else.

Mr. Ford was asked the following questions at the time: "Who was Benedict Arnold?" "In 1776, how many soldiers did Britain send to America to quell the rebellion?" When answering the latter question, Mr. Ford said: "I It is not known exactly how many soldiers were sent to America, but I have heard that far more than returned."

Finally, Mr. Ford got tired of the series of questions, and in answer to an aggressive one, he leaned forward, pointed at the lawyer who asked the question, and said, "If I really want to answer this stupid question you just asked, or Any of the questions raised above, then I want to remind you that there is a row of buttons on my desk, as long as I press one of them, an assistant will come to assist me immediately, and any one of them can answer my question. Career-related questions. Now, can you please tell me why I am filling my brain with this pile of general knowledge when there is always someone close to me who can provide any knowledge I need?"

Such an answer is of course impeccable.

Mr. Ford's answer stumped the lawyer.The people in the court agreed that this was not an ignorant person, but a real knowledgeable person.Any educated person knows how to acquire the knowledge he needs and how to organize it into a definite plan of action.Relying on the "think tank", Henry Ford could get any help at any time, making it easier for him to master professional knowledge, thus becoming one of the wealthiest men in the United States.Indeed, it is not necessary for him himself to have all the knowledge in his head.Needless to say, it is impossible for anyone intelligent enough to read this book not to understand the real implications of this case.

Before you can be confident of your ability to convert your desires into monetary equivalents, you need knowledge of a service, commodity, or profession in exchange for corresponding wealth.Perhaps the expertise you need is far beyond what you can do. If this is the case, then you should turn to the "think tank" for help.

Andrew Carnegie once said that he personally had no technical knowledge of the steel industry and didn't care whether he needed to.He found that, with the help of a "brain tank," he could also gain access to special expertise in the production and sale of steel.

Accumulating a large fortune requires strength, and strength comes from the adequate organization and rational use of professional knowledge, which is not necessarily necessary for a person who is committed to accumulating wealth.

For some people, although they have not received the necessary "education" and cannot meet the required professional knowledge requirements, they have the ambition to make a fortune. For such people, the previous paragraph gives repeated hope and encouragement.In life, some people will have low self-esteem for life because they have not received "education".And a person who knows how to use knowledge, how to lead a "brain trust" with expertise, will have the same expertise as any member of the group.Remember, if you always think you're inferior, it's all because of your limited education.

Thomas A. Edison received only three months of school education in his life, but he was not without knowledge, nor did he die of poverty.

Henry Ford didn't even finish sixth grade, yet he managed to achieve astonishing financial success through his own efforts.

Expertise is the richest and cheapest form of service available to everyone!If you're still in doubt, check any college pay stub.

Know the path to knowledge
First, define the type of expertise you need and for what purpose.To a large extent, your main purpose in life, what you strive for, will help you determine the scope of expertise you need.Once this question has been identified, the next step requires you to know exactly where reliable sources of knowledge are.Some very important sources include:

1. Own experience and education

2. Existing experience and knowledge gained through working with others (think tank)

3. Institutions of higher learning
4. Public libraries (knowledge accumulated by human civilization can be found in books and periodicals)
5. Professional training courses (through supplementary education such as evening schools and home tutoring classes)
After the knowledge is acquired, it is necessary to organize and utilize the acquired knowledge through a practical plan for a specific goal.Knowledge in itself means nothing at all unless it is used for some meaningful purpose, for some worthwhile project.This is one of the reasons why a college degree has little job-seeking value.If you are going to get more education at school, you need to know what you want to acquire knowledge for, and then know where to get the professional knowledge you need, and know its reliable sources.

Successful people in all walks of life are always on the lookout for knowledge related to their primary goals, business or profession.Those who do not succeed often mistakenly believe that the thirst for professional knowledge will be enough when they leave school.In fact, school education is only a pavement for the future acquisition of practical knowledge.

In a rapidly changing world that began at the end of the recession, the demands on education have also changed dramatically.Today's society pursues specialization!Robert P. Moore, former director of Columbia University's Career Center, has emphasized this fact.

What society needs most are professionals

Recruiters are most in need of those with expertise in a particular field—business academy graduates trained in accounting and statistics, engineers of all kinds, journalists, architects, chemists, and outstanding leaders and highly skilled personnel.

Students who actively participate in academic activities, are easy-going, have a wide range of friends, and make academic progress have an advantage over students who usually only study hard.Because they can develop in all aspects, they can even get admission notices for several positions when they are looking for a job. Some students even receive 6 admission notices to choose from.

We should abandon the notion that students with straight A's don't always get a good job.Mr. Moore once said that employers will not only pay attention to the grades of good students, but also pay more attention to their activity ability and personality.

In a letter to Mr. Moore, the leader of a large industrial company talked about the employment of future college graduates.It said: "When we recruit, we are particularly interested in those talents who have outstanding management ability. Therefore, we value their personality, intelligence and character qualities more than a specific educational background."

Create an apprenticeship system
Mr Moore proposed an "internship system" that would see students work in offices, shops and factories during the summer.He believes that after two or three years of university study, every student should "choose a course with a clear future direction, and if students are only satisfied with the study of non-professional courses, stop it."

He also said: "Institutions of higher education must face the fact that what all walks of life need now are professional talents." He also urged educational institutions to directly assume the responsibility of employment guidance.

For those who need a professional schooling, the surest and most accessible source of knowledge is the evening schools, which are established in most cities.All over the United States, as long as the mail can be reached, there are correspondence schools that provide professional training, and all subjects that can be taught by correspondence are listed in the list provided by the school.One of the advantages of correspondence education is its flexibility, allowing students to study in their spare time.Another great advantage of correspondence education, if chosen well, is the facilitated consultation they provide, which can be of great value to students who need specialized knowledge.No matter where you live, you can benefit from a correspondence education.

Anything that can be obtained without hard work and without paying a certain price often does not bring a sense of honor to people, nor does it make people cherish it.Perhaps it is for this reason that we reap so little of the enormous opportunities that public schools offer.The self-discipline learned in professional courses can somewhat make up for wasted opportunities when knowledge can be obtained at no cost.Correspondence schools are well-organized commercial establishments with low tuition fees and insist on prompt payment.Under the pressure of tuition fees, students will insist on completing the entire course regardless of their grades, otherwise some students may drop out of school.Correspondence schools never stress this too much, because their fee-charging departments model the best training for their students in decision, speed, and habit of starting and finishing well.

I learned this from my own experience about 25 years ago.I was applying for a correspondence course in advertising and was going to do it at home.After eight, or ten classes, I stopped studying, but the school didn't stop sending me my bills.Also, the school insisted that I pay all fees regardless of whether I continued my studies.So I decided that since I had to pay for the course (which I was legally obliged to do), I might as well finish my degree and not waste my money.At the time, I thought the school's collection system was well-organized, but later in life, I realized it was the most valuable training I've ever had for free.I was able to continue my studies because it had to be paid in money.Reluctantly graduating from an advertising course, I later found out in life that the school's efficient collection system was worth far more in monetary terms than expected.

The United States has what is said to be the most advanced public school education system in the world.We've invested an incredible amount of money in beautiful architecture, and we've made it easy for kids living in rural areas to get to the best schools in the city, but this incredible system has one amazing weakness— - All this for free!Human beings have a characteristic-people only know how to cherish things that need to pay a monetary price.America's free learning education and library system is not attractive because it doesn't cost people money.It is for this reason that many people still feel the need for retraining after they graduate to work.It is also for this reason that many employers support their employees to learn by correspondence.From past experience, they know that anyone who is willing to sacrifice their spare time and study at home has what it takes to be a leader.This kind of recognition is not a charitable gesture, but a commercial judgment from the perspective of the employer.

People who don't want to make progress often have a common problem, they don't like to ask for help!This is a glaring weakness of lack of ambition!Those who sacrifice their spare time to study at home, especially those who are living paycheck to paycheck, are not willing to live under others for a long time.They use their practical actions to open up a way to climb up for themselves, not only clearing the obstacles on the way to promotion, but also winning the favor of those who have the right to give them opportunities.

The method of correspondence training is especially suitable for office workers who are already working.They often find that they need to supplement their professional knowledge, but do not have the time to go back to school for further education.

We live in a society of ever-changing economic conditions, where tens of millions of people are forced to live on extra income or constantly seek new sources of income.To solve this problem, acquiring professional knowledge is the only way for most people.Many people are faced with being forced to make a complete career change.When a businessman finds that a certain product cannot be sold, he will often replace it with another product that is in short supply.A person who mainly sells personal services should be a very efficient businessman.If his service does not bring a considerable return to a certain career, he must change the scope of his career in time to find broader opportunities.

(End of this chapter)