Life isn’t all about book-smarts. You also need street-smarts. And with some important skills, the two can coincide. As you look at the next 10 years of your life and answer the question, “What do I want to do?,” keep the following skills in mind. Special thanks to the community at reddit for some truly remarkable ideas. Find more here.
1. “Soldering, Photoshop, How to read financial statements, How to read a contract, Basics of patent, copyright, trademark (reading one book is enough), 500 words in Spanish (1000 is even better), 100 words in four other languages, HTML, How to read a blueprint, How to read a circuit diagram, How to use a compass and topographical map, CPR, How to make conversation with strangers, How to dance (swing or salsa), 3 magic tricks (kids will love you), Meditation, How to build a 1-match fire, How to sew a button on a shirt, Speedreading (there are iPhone apps to teach)”
2. “I would suggest you learn about yourself, and how to cater to yourself when times are hard. What sorts of things cheer you up, without fail, in your worst moods? When do you need time alone, when do you need to be immersed in company? What qualities of yours do others respond positively to, which qualities of yours do you respond positively to? How’s your self esteem? Your strengths? What weaknesses do you need to chip away at? … This ‘self-improvement’ attitude cultivates the best in people, and has kept me sane and allowed me to weather even the worst of life’s storms- knife throwing and fighting are fun and valuable in a pinch, but a knowledge of yourself with service you every day for the rest of your life. … And cooking. That’s always handy!”
3. “Communicating effectively. You can get many things in life just by sounding smart.”
4. “Basic auto mechanics, framing*, plumbing, electrical, and computer maintenance. … Even if you never use it, it’s invaluable to know what the people you pay to do it for you are actually doing, and even if you’re independently wealthy, sometimes it’s a hell of a lot faster / more convenient to just do it yourself rather than try to squeeze into somebody else’s schedule.”
5. “Writing, writing, a thousand times writing. … The ability to write clearly, compellingly and concisely is invaluable (and is too-often neglected by those in the sciences, applied sciences and trades).”
6. “Learn some Hydroponics, and learn how to cultivate all the plants you can. … And if you want to get into cars, one of the best ways (if available) is just pick up a Haynes manual for your car. I have one for my Taurus, I can rebuild the entire car from front to back (minus needing to lift the car to drop the gas tank and access my fuel pump) and I can diagnose almost every problem.”
7. “Something like electrical, plumbing, car repair, carpentry, etc. It’s really useful to be able to repair something when it breaks instead of being completely out of luck because a plumber can’t get to your house on thanksgiving or the only outlet in the bathroom fails when you’re getting ready for a wedding or your car breaks down because it needs a new thermostat and it’s a sunday so no mechanics are open.”
8. “Social dancing. Learn a couple of steps of basic ballroom dances (waltz, foxtrot, quickstep), at least east coast swing (if not some basic lindy hop), salsa (on 2 if you’re in NYC, on 1 anywhere else in the States), and Argentine tango. … It’s an incredibly useful tool for meeting lots of people. You’ll have a social group you can integrate into easily in virtually any city you go to. … You’ll be very popular at weddings, parties, and other events where there’s a dance floor. … Ladies love guys who can lead a dance. … Guys love ladies who can actually follow a lead. We extra-special love it when you can improvise on top of it. … It provides a great motivation to keep in shape. … Really, there’s nothing not to like.”
9. “Gunsmithing. Locksmithing. Canning. Sewing. Cooking. Hotwiring a vehicle. How to properly maintain firearms and bladed weapons. Munitions (TNT/Molotov Cocktails/Pipe Bombs). Traps. How to properly dig and reinforce a tunnel. How to boil water. How to properly use a compass, and how to navigate using solar bodies. How to find water and edibles that aren’t in a grocery store. How to properly fire a gun. How to properly reinforce windows and doors. Basic medicine (stitches, etc).”
10. “To be quite honest, this list is pretty good, but I’ll add one: learning to drive a stick shift. Particularly if you’re an American who wants to visit other parts of the world.”
11. “Skimming or Scanning. While you were discouraged from reading at a glance in school because you were supposed to regurgitate the facts on command, once you leave school all your reading will be done like this.
“Saving. You know that thing you did when you were a kid and you really wanted something you couldn’t afford? You had the right idea, keep doing that.
“Common Sense. Sometimes you think of something obvious and you figure everybody has probably thought of that. Well, they haven’t. In the real world, this is a … superpower.
“Lying. Adepts as socializing know that the trick is to make yourself look good. Masters know the trick is really to make everyone else look bad. For getting promoted using the process of elimination, cheating and lying are valuable skills that will put you on the fast track to success!
“Drinking. You need to learn how to drink. Now you might be thinking: I know how to drink! I just had the craziest kegger you wouldn’t believe! If you just had a crazy kegger, you don’t know how to drink. Kids drink to get through parties. Adults drink to get through the day.
“Power-Napping. Alright, so now you sleep like a baby every night. Well one day you will have a baby, and sleep will be a thing of the past! So start spending your days desperately sleep-deprived now, and get some practice in. And when you wake up after fifteen minutes of rest to go to a full work day, remember that it is not only the first day of the rest of your life, but, in fact, all of them!”
In Summary
Whether you’re learning in a classroom, online, or out in the so-called “real world,” many of the above skills are vital to your existence. Take heed, and if you’re struggling with what to do with your life and any of these sound appealing, do some research and see ways that you can make money in something related to those fields. Good luck!
Aric Mitchell's work appears regularly here at 4tests.com and across the web for sites, such as The Inquisitr and Life'd. A former high school teacher, his passion for education has only intensified since leaving the classroom. At 4tests, he hopes to continue passing along words of encouragement and study tips to ensure you leave school ready to face an ever-changing world.
Life isn’t all about book-smarts. You also need street-smarts. And with some important skills, the two can coincide. As you look at the next 10 years of your life and answer the question, “What do I want to do?,” keep the following skills in mind. Special thanks to the community at reddit for some truly remarkable ideas. Find more here.
