Beyond Facts: The Essence of True Education
without character, is being smart is the same as being evil?
In today’s edition of Burke’s Bits:
Grow - because you Know
A Social Selling Tip
From the Research Files
Pun of the Day
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Grow Because You Know was my personal mantra for years, and at one time a website devoted to sharing knowledge so the reader could use it in daily life. It was also my mantra as I spent time with women in halfway houses - coming off the street and restarting their lives. While educating them on the basics of maintaining a bank account, preparing a grocery list to align with a weekly menu, and how to do laundry in an efficient and cost-effective way…I also showed them how to be kind to others through thoughtful gestures, use their own experience to show compassion as another woman struggled, and how to see themselves as women of action who are no longer victims.
Aristotle once said, "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all." To me, he's saying, "Hey, learning stuff is great, but if you're not also learning to be a good person, what's the point?"
Education isn't just about cramming your brain full of facts or collecting degrees. It's more than that. It's about fully participating in life. It's about having values like empathy, compassion, and integrity.
Now, think about educating the heart. It's all about those good vibes – integrity, virtue, character. It's what helps you make decisions that aren't just smart, but also kind and ethical. It's about being a well-rounded human, not just a walking encyclopedia.
Imagine someone with a high IQ (super smart) but with zero character – not the kind of person you'd want to hang out with, right? I mean, really, would you want to hang out with men like Timur and H.H. Holmes – wicked smart, but heartless?
Personally, I’d rather hang out with modern day heroes like Cece Nikolova, an accomplished journalist who helps other orphans stand on their own feet, and Charlie Teo, Australian neurosurgeon and philanthropist. They're not just skilled...they're wise and kind-hearted.
The bottom line? We need to mix knowledge with compassion and mindfulness. We need to rethink what we know to intentionally help us grow while we show others how to be more compassionate.
Now, why is this whole mind-and-heart education thing important? I think it's what makes us civilized, helps us make the right decisions, and keeps us from turning into emotionless robots. It's about having values like faith, patriotism, and independence – these things comes from the heart, not a textbook.
Sadly, formal education is often just about memorizing facts and getting good grades. The students are missing out on those key values, and it shows in the hate crimes and other nasty activity happening around us. We need an education system that's not just about landing a job but about being a well-rounded, heart-and-mind educated person.
In today's world, where education is super technical and competitive, we forget about the heart part. It's just as important as the brainy stuff for our overall development. So, let's not forget to educate our hearts along with our minds, okay?
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A Social Selling Tip
Show up in social media groups as the person who offers answers and solutions - with zero reference to your business or offer.
Be helpful whenever possible.
Answer questions that have nothing to do with your offer or product.
Let’s say you sell safety systems for large buildings. Someone in a group asks a question you know the answer to - “how do I create a “custom sort” in Excel?” Answer the question.
In another group someone asks "how do I create a report of safety incidents in Excel?” and you know the answer - offer the answer.
This isn’t the time to sell. It is the time to be seen as one who is helpful. Remember, you’re a member of a social group and someone asked a question. As a fellow member, you are there to offer help or assistance when possible.
When a question is asked that your product or offer seems a perfect fit for, say so. Otherwise, remember where you are and behave accordingly.
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From the Research Files
aka random bits of info you may or may not be able to use in your life
Approximately 85% of people breathe through one nostril at a time, switching nostrils in a cyclical pattern roughly every four hours, influenced by body position and nasal congestion.
This "nasal cycle" was first described by German physician Richard Kayser in 1895 and is controlled by erectile tissue in the nostrils, similar to that in the penis or clitoris. This tissue alternately swells and shrinks in each nostril, regulating airflow. Intriguingly, the dominant nostril affects the body and brain significantly.
After a few other studies, a 1994 study indicated that left nostril breathing activates the right brain hemisphere and vice versa. This nasal cycle can be influenced by body position; lying on one side affects the swelling of the nasal tissue, leading to nostril alternation. This phenomenon might explain why people often switch sides while sleeping, driven by the need to change breathing nostrils rather than discomfort.
And here I thought it was because my sinuses were clogged and when I switched sides my other nostril would clear up and I could breathe.
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Pun of the Day
The fattest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference.
He acquired his size from too much pi.
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
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With Gratitude,
Charlene Burke
P.S. Do you write emails to prospects and customers? Likely they can be improved!
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I really got a kick out of the Pun of the Day!