How much maths you learn is one of the best predictors of your future income! I am not sure that's enough ......................

Monday, October 12, 2015 Francisco Carneiro 0 Comments

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Stop teaching kids to add up — maths is more important

Conrad Wolfram

How much maths you learn is one of the best predictors of your future income. Knowledge of the subject is deemed so important that many countries (among them the US) offer special visa concessions to foreigners with a grounding in the subject.

Beneath the surface, however, there are serious cracks. Most students dislike maths, do not understand its connection to their later lives and do badly at tests even as the questions grow easier. Universities and employers complain that they cannot find people with the right skills. Maths, as it is taught today, will not be a mainstream school subject in 20 years’ time. Either it will succumb to a hostile takeover or it will be run out of business.

Actually, “mathematics” is the wrong word for much of what is taught in schools. Rather, students learn to calculate. That is an obsolete skill, since almost all calculating is done by computer these days.

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/bcfb1f30-6cf9-11e5-8171-ba1968cf791a.html#axzz3oMY9BzNe

I certainly don't disagree with Conrad that the people who know maths & programming are doing very well in this world. However i believe that what differentiates those who do well and those who don't is the character/grit and will to win.

Your vision of where or who you want to be is the greatest asset you have
― Paul Arden

Overcoming adversity is what produces character. And character, even more than IQ, is what leads to real and lasting success.

http://thoughtmeme.blogspot.pt/2012/09/character-even-more-than-iq-is-what.html