LEGASI.tv: Be Street Smart AND Book Smart #1Book1Week March 2021

Friday, April 16, 2021

Be Street Smart AND Book Smart #1Book1Week March 2021

"I want to do what you do," said a well-meaning student to me. So, I asked, "What is your growth plan?" In less than 5 seconds he replied, "What is a growth plan?" Well, some people are gifted with intelligent minds; some with rich parents; some with astoundingly high levels of ignorance (pitiful but bless their hearts!); and some - me or you, if you too - are average people but have the determination to grow in whatever talents or skills or gifts and mind that God given to them. I use to say: "If you're not beautiful or handsome or good-looking, which is an advantage in an image-driven world today, at least, be smart."

People nowadays want us to choose between Book Smart vs. Street Smart. They said, "Street smart is better than book smart." Or in the religious circle, "Experiential Christianity is superior to intellectual Christianity." To me, it sounds pious but I think it's an anti-intellectual facade. Why not strive to be both Book Smart AND Street Smart? The Webster's Unabridged Dictionary defines wisdom as “knowledge, and the capacity to make due use of it.” How to gains "knowledge"? Study, and - my purpose of this post - read books! That's Book Smart. How to "make due use of it"? Well, by practicing and applying (based on your contexts) what you have learned or/and read! That's Street Smart. If you combine both, by Webster's definitions, that's wisdom.

Let us come back to a personal growth plan. Do you have it? If not, don't be discouraged. Start smart, start today To my young friend, you cannot do what I do today not because you cannot do it but because you have to do it from the start. There is no shortcut to growth. In your plan, don't forget to include these four areas: 1) Intellectual, 2) Physical, 3) Spiritual, and 4) Financial. Try it for a year and be practical. As for intellectual growth, you know what I would say, right? One of them is to READ BOOKS! Be Book Smart!