The Difference Between Education and Learning

I was a terrible college student…when it came to education.  As it turns out though, I learned a lot.  You see, there is a difference between education and learning…and that is more apparent today than ever before.

Education is a form of teaching that happens TO you.  It is often forced upon you.  Education often includes vocabulary words, essays and pop quizzes.  While most people would contend that education is important, I never really enjoyed it.  I would do what I had to do (and nothing more) to fulfill the obligations of education.  Often, I went to class less than I should have.  I studied just as much as I needed to to get by.  And to be honest, I don’t remember very much of what I learned during my “education” in college..

I was much more interested in staying in my dorm room, playing guitar, writing lyrics and performing my amateur songs for anyone who would listen.  There was nothing formal about it.  I did not have to take any tests.  No one was looking over my shoulder.  But I was insatiable about listening or reading anything I could on the subject.  It had nothing to do with my education.

I was just learning.

As it turns out, the learning  I was doing, while college professors saw me blowing off their education DOES have value.  I was working to learn and improve my craft of playing guitar and songwriting.  In addition, by using those skills to create and write, I was forced to put myself “out there” regularly.  Sometimes the song was really well-received.  Sometimes it was a total flop.  It helped me to flex my creative muscle and be willing to try things that might not work with no guarantees.

It’s very similar, in fact, to what I do when I create content today.  It takes some creativity.  It takes some courage.  And it is all done with the idea that, if I keep doing it, I might get better.

So while I was struggling through education, I enjoyed learning very much.

That brings me to today.

We are living in a weird and different time.  Many people are working remote, and have more time on our hands.  But what are you going to do with it?  You can learn to speak a new language.  Maybe you can take the time to learn to play an instrument. It’s your choice if you want to learn something new.

And if you want to grow your understanding of marketing your organization, we would love to help.  We have created a 5 Day Marketing Course designed to help you create more effective and targeted marketing.  It’s free.  You can find the course here.  

We hope you will take the chance to learn…and let us know what you think!  Oh, and as always, feel free to keep up with all of our content on our blog here.

Written by: Kirby Hasseman

Kirby Hasseman is the CEO of Hasseman Marketing & Communications, a full-service agency specializing in branded merchandise, digital marketing, and content creation. A passionate entrepreneur, speaker, and community advocate, Kirby creates weekly content through his popular video and podcast series, including Delivering Marketing Joy, Better Merch...Better Marketing, and Monday Minute. He is the author of several books, including his latest, Hit The TARGET, a marketing framework to help businesses reach their ideal customers, as well as Fan of Happy, Delivering Marketing Joy, Think Big For Small Business, and Give Your Way to Success. Kirby speaks to audiences across the country on topics such as marketing strategy, leadership, company culture, and personal development. Known for his energy, humor, and practical advice, he’s dedicated to helping businesses and individuals grow by building strong brands and stronger relationships.