The best thing you can learn to do is do it yourself.
I recently wrapped up my four years as Scoutmaster of a troop. Scouting teaches lots of amazing things – skills, life lessons, leadership. But the best thing you learn, if you do it right, is to do things for yourself.
There are no homework assignments in Scouts, no deadlines. You can move as fast or slow as you care to (until you turn 18). This stands in stark contrast to the lockstep mentality of school. Once Scouts learn this, they realize that they have the autonomy to grow at their own rate. They can pursue their goals at their own pace – what a concept!
This is something I wish for students of all ages and in all situations. They don’t have to wait for someone to tell them what to do, they simply have to go towards their goal, as fast as they care to.