How to be Employable and Happy in the 21st Century
If I had kids (or grandkids), here are the skills I would teach them…
How would I teach them?
(1) Set a date a few weeks out when they would tutor me on the new skill, because teaching is structured learning,
(2) co-design a project that would require those skills,
and (3) have them create a video or write an article so others can more easily learn the skill.
Without further ado…
18 Skills For The New Working World
(Each skill developed increases employability.)
How to do smarter internet research
https://medium.com/@georgekao/internet-search-tips-d74d59367021
How to do basic graphic design
www.canva.com is a fun place to start
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+do+basic+graphic+designs
Ideation — quickly coming up with ideas and solutions
http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2014/05/the-ultimate-guide-for-becoming-an-idea-machine/
https://www.google.com/search?q=generate+ideas+everyday
How to do basic video editing
Start with youtube’s own free editing tools
https://www.google.com/search?q=youtube+editing
https://www.google.com/search?q=making+great+videos
How to write well
Have them start blogging as early as you can — free tools include www.blogspot.com, www.tumblr.com, www.medium.com
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+become+a+great+writer+OR+writing+well
How to make content more engaging
http://www.mindmeister.com/388449576
How to professionally network
https://www.google.com/search?q=best+networking+tips
How to consistently follow-up
https://www.google.com/search?q=consistent+follow+up
How to productively dialogue online
https://www.google.com/search?q=productive+internet+debate+civil+online+conversations+commenting
How to facilitate & grow online communities
https://www.google.com/search?q=building+online+community
Retaining more ideas from reading
e.g. have them write an Amazon review of every book they read!
https://www.google.com/search?q=retaining+more+of+what+you+read
How to give a great talk
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+give+a+great+talk
Basic coding skills
…and if they are interested, encourage them to go deep!
https://www.google.com/search?q=learn+to+code
Teaching an online course
https://www.google.com/search?q=create+online+courses
Editing Wikipedia entries
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+edit+wikipedia
How to create mindmaps
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+create+mindmaps
How to improve one’s leadership
(have them host events doing things they enjoy, or help them start a club — online or offline — on their hobby)
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+become+a+leader
Fostering change on a larger scale
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+make+social+change+happen
☛ If kids (and job-seeking adults) learn the 18 “new working” skills listed above, they would be more employable than most college graduates.
And by learning the additional 15 life skills they would be healthier & happier…
15 Important Life Skills:
Building & maintaining integrity
https://medium.com/@georgekao/how-to-build-integrity-5b88f50556ff
Time management
https://www.google.com/search?q=time+management+techniques
e.g. Pomodoro technique
https://www.google.com/search?q=pomodoro+time+management
Skillfully managing money
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+manage+your+money
Mindfulness-based stress reduction
https://www.google.com/search?q=Mindfulness-based+stress+reduction
How to create habits
https://medium.com/@georgekao/use-questions-to-form-habits-b6c1837ebb35
Understanding “fixed vs. growth mindsets”
https://www.google.com/search?q=fixed+growth+mindset
Understanding current thinking about doing what you love
http://www.paulgraham.com/love.html
https://www.google.com/search?q=career+doing+what+you+love
Cultivating a “practicing mind”
https://www.google.com/search?q=summary+"practicing+mind"+sterner
Win-Win / Peaceful conflict resolution
https://www.google.com/search?q=peacefully+resolving+conflict+win-win
Importance of sleep
https://www.google.com/search?q=importance+of+sleep
Exercises for optimal health
https://www.google.com/search?q=exercises+for+optimal+health
Maintaining an anti-inflammatory diet
https://www.google.com/search?q=anti-inflammatory+diet
Importance of positive social interaction
http://j.mp/1EdkysV
How to keep a clean email inbox
https://medium.com/@georgekao/cf6f959e0916
How to access high quality knowledge for free
http://j.mp/1rJMy0O
also see the list at:
https://medium.com/@georgekao/the-case-against-non-fiction-books-3dae258523de
and learn to do smarter internet research:
https://medium.com/@georgekao/internet-search-tips-d74d59367021
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What I would not teach them:
Most of the stuff beyond 3rd grade is irrelevant for 21st century living & careers. Their learning time would be much better spent deepening the above 33 subjects and skills. If additional knowledge is needed, it can be researched & learned when it is needed. Instead of learning random irrelevant subjects, it is much more important to learn how to learn, how to teach, and how to dialogue.
*******
Quirky topics I would also expose them to:
(You should probably come up with your own list of what you think is important!)
Why virtues are important
https://www.google.com/search?q=why+virtues+are+important
How to create a sustainable society
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+create+a+sustainable+society
and http://www.mindmeister.com/131754566/better-loved-world
Scientific evidence for the afterlife
https://www.google.com/search?q=scientific+evidence+for+the+afterlife
How to interview content experts
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+interview+a+content+expert
(Great way to learn from & network with experts)
Cheap ways to start a business
https://www.google.com/search?q=cheap+ways+to+start+a+business
Creating music online
(it’s good for the brain to exercise a diversity of skills! plus, it’s helpful for creating podcasts or videos)
https://www.google.com/search?q=create+music+free
Predicting future technology
https://www.google.com/search?q=predicting+future+technology
This blog post (and most of my content) is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0.
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