Nov 1, 2022
Why 99% of Americans Are Stuck in the Same Place
What You Don’t Want to Hear, But You Need to Know
Do you feel lost, anxious, stressed or even stuck in life? If the answer is yes, would you like to know why?
I want to warn you, this might be the most difficult article for you to read. The reason it will be difficult is because you need to be READY to listen to the answers. The truth is that most people are NOT READY to listen.
Before we jump in to the meat of this article, let’s do a simple test to see if you are ready.
The Ready Test
“Education is the key to success.”
Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Do you know why you agree or disagree with the statement? More importantly, did you question the statement at all? Is this an accurate or complete representation of real life?
Here’s the truth. Education is not the key to success.
A more accurate statement is “The Right Education is the key to success.”
And here’s why that’s more accurate. What type of “education” is the statement referring to? What does “education” really mean? America has a K12 system and a collegiate system and graduating from both does not guarantee success.
So how can the statement “Education is the key to success” be accurate then?
Why 99% of Americans are Stuck?
Human beings have survived thousands of years because of our ability to think and process information. What our brains do when it receives new information is store it inside our brain, but not how you might think.
Thousands of years ago, well before the Information Age, access to information was limited. What helped keep humans alive was our ability to make inferences and also assume things to be true.
If we heard footsteps, we could assume danger was around the corner. Did we “see” the danger? No, we only heard footsteps and assumed that sound meant danger.
Here’s the problem humans are running into in the 21st century. We have access to all information at all times, except we continue to make those same assumptions. Those assumptions are no longer keeping us safe, instead they are getting us into trouble.
Take the previous statement, “education is the key to success.” Our brains processed that statement and then made a lot of false assumptions. Those false assumptions are hurting you right now.
The reason 99% of Americans are struggling in 2022 is because we assumed we knew what that statement meant, and the truth is you didn’t. You blindly followed someone else’s advice without asking enough questions and stopping your brain from assuming too much.
Do you see where this article is going now?
The Path To Success
You don’t want to be stuck in life. The problem is you don’t know what to do to UNSTUCK yourself. What is the path to success in the 21st century?
To answer this question, we have to control our brains. We need to stop our brains from making false assumptions and getting ourselves into trouble. Which brings us back to the original statement: “Education is the key to success.”
If this statement is not real, then what is true?
Here’s what you need to know.
“A 21st century education is the key to success in the 21st century.”
Pause for a second.
Did you make the same mistake twice? Did you automatically assume you know what that statement means without knowing the facts? Do you know what a 21st century education is? Do you know how the 21st century works?
You can assume the answers, or you could control your brain and learn the facts. The choice is yours, but the more you assume the more you will stay stuck in life.
A Research Based 21st Century Education
I don’t know if you realize this or not, but the K12 system and colleges in America are no longer a 21st century research based enterprise. Both school systems follow old research from the 19th century.
The academic elite do not want to admit this fact, but that’s because they have one major flaw they cannot overcome. If you want to learn more about the flaw of the academic elite, you can read this article:
Here’s what you need to know.
In 2020, a research study was released that analyzed the entire US Labor Market. This study looked at every single job and job sector in our economy and determined the most valuable skills for the future.
Would you like to know what those skills were? And if these are the most valuable skills, would you classify them as 21st century skills?
Here’s what the research study said:
- There were five skills that were more valuable than all other skills
- These five skills were more valuable because if you knew these five skills you could get the highest paying jobs in our economy
- Those five skills were: leadership, team building, problem solving, sales and communications
The research study went on to recommend that colleges start teaching these five skills.
The Education You Received vs. The Education You Need
Our brains don’t want us to hear bad news. That’s why we use assumptions to protect ourselves from danger. But you can’t do that in the 21st century and expect to be successful. We don’t live in prehistoric times, which means you need to overcome your evolutionary biology and start being a 21st century citizen.
The education you received was an old education. The courses you took, English, Math, Science and Social Studies were all developed in the 19th century. Our academic elites think that teaching 19th century courses with 21st century technology is “good enough” to help you in the future.
The truth is it’s not helpful at all.
The reason 99% of Americans are struggling is because the education you received is not the education you need.
What you might not know about me is that I was one of the first superintendents in America to adopt a 21st century skills curriculum for the K12 district I ran. I was leading the K12 world into the 21st century, the problem for you is that your high school and your K12 superintendent didn’t follow my lead.
It’s now 2022, and 99% of Americans don’t know 21st century skills. Do you see the problem now? Can you see what the solution is?
If you have learned one thing from this article, it’s that you need to have more control over your brain and your assumptions. If you connected the dots so far, then you know the solution for you to start pursuing success is to learn 21st century skills.
Learning 21st Century Leadership Skills at Leaf Academy
The solution is to learn 21st century skills, such as 21st century leadership skills. The problem is you won’t find any schools in America that teach 21st century leadership.
That’s a huge problem. Which is why I solved that problem for you.
In 2021, I launched Leaf Academy, the FIRST online school for 21st century skills. If you want to solve your education problem, you can go to Leaf Academy for the answer.
What you might not know about me is that I was recognized as an expert 21st century educator by the #1 ranked state for education in 2017. I have 20+ years experience inside the K12 system. That means I know how the system works, but more importantly I also know how the system DOES NOT work.
Leaf Academy solves your immediate problem. Where can you learn 21st century leadership skills?
Take the Next Step
If you want to learn about 21st century leadership and stop assuming you know everything, then you can follow the link below.
You can watch two FREE webinars that discuss 21st century leadership skills. I am giving 100% FREE access to these two webinars I hosted back in 2021 because there is too much you don’t know and too much you NEED to know.
When you are ready to develop your 21st century leadership skills, you can register for the Beginner Leadership 101 course. This 101 level course will teach you how to develop your vision and control your brain. You will get access to five learning modules, five video lesson and five downloadable learning activities.
The next step is up to you. Do you want to stay stuck in life? Or do you want to take control over your future and unlock your potential? The research is clear, you need to learn five 21st century skills, which includes 21st century leadership skills.
There is no other school in America that is teaching you the 21st century skills you NEED. Therefore, if you want to take the next step, I hope to see you at Leaf Academy!
About the Author:
D. Scott Schwartz, M.Ed. is a former teacher, principal, superintendent and school business administrator who spent 20+ years inside the K12 system. He was one of the first superintendents in the country to adopt a 21st century skills curriculum and he was recognized as an expert 21st century educator in 2017. He heads an education think tank that does educational research and helps superintendents and school districts follow the research and make better data-driven decisions. If you want to learn more, follow the link in the bio.
