Educate For Life, Not Exams

We strive to give a balanced education to our younger ones. At times it occurs to me that we, especially, Asian's tend to push our children to be competitive and leave at that! In the grown-up world, there are intrinsic qualities that we need to possess to be successful in life. While you keep at bettering the scores, exam after exam, prep them for overall success as well.
A meaningful life is not made of scores & money but several other qualities as well. For me, the 5 essential qualities for a successful life are;

Ambition

Ambition is a strong desire to succeed. One must dream of greater successes to have those successes. Instill a habit of bettering yourselves than you were yesterday. It shapes your character. Similarly, you are what you dream. So dream big and that'll help stir the thought process in achieving that success.

Confidence In Decision Making

You become a strong individual when you are confident enough to make decisions and be accountable for them as well. Confidence alleviates the fear of failure and you would know how to sail around the hurdles. It is an important behavior to be nurtured from a young age.
Allow them to have those scenarios in life. Curate them in their thinking and encourage them to not worry about the outcomes. The regular practice would become part of their routine. They'll soon understand that Decision Making is not all that difficult. it can be mitigated even if it goes south. It preps to make course corrections as needed in life.

Financial Acumen

What good is it when you study well and earn well but if do not know how to manage your finances? Maths remain only in the books to them in most house-hold. There is a lack of practical knowledge when it comes to the financial process. Cultivate investment basics from childhood. A piggybank works better for younger children if you let them use it once full at their discretion. This helps them to actually 'see' the benefit of saving up. Once they become a teen, get them a bank account and create opportunities for them to start depositing into it.

A gift given from Grand-Ma or saved up money from monthly stipends

All of that can go into the account. Show them the adult world of Mutual Funds, Share Markets and you own balance sheets. The value of compounding is better learned by practical than the theory. It will enable them to think about the future.

Emotional Quotient

Education helps improve IQ, add EQ as well. Emotional Intelligence is the ability to understand your own emotions and those of others. Helps manage them to relieve stress. It makes you be a better person, compassionate and non-judging. A better EQ helps you to behave in society while being empathetic and positively diffusing conflicts.

Studies go to show that a person with better EQ performs better at work. In leadership roles, people perform great if only they are intelligent emotionally as well.

The 5 Gems (Authenticity, Integrity, Patience, Humility & Resilience)

Lastly, I call these these five gems because they are closely knitted and irreplaceable characteristics for human life.

Authenticity - Being your true self when it comes to situations. Have an open mind and be truthful about what you do or say. It is a choice to express your true self regardless of rewards or punishments. Don't falter, be truthful.

Integrity - It is the quality of having strong moral principles. Your value system does not have to be the same as others, but it is important to have a value system.

Patience - Millenials are tagged with quick gratification. I want something and I want it right now - Feels familiar? Well, teach them to be patient, both with success and failure.

Humility - We have everything compared to a lot many in the world who do not have it. What decides your character is your humility. How you treat others would decide your success while you are at the top of the world. Do you treat everyone with respect and empathy?

Resilience - Build resiliency from young age. If they fail, encourage them to get moving. There are way too many examples from real life who have made it big after repeated failures. Introduce them. There is a lesson to be learnt from every single one of them.

None of these qualities are new, they are present innately. We just need to focus and exercise that to become a habit!

Let's teach our kids the value of life and essential life skills as well.