--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our educational system is not preparing…" description: "\"Our educational system is not preparing people for the 21st Century. Failure is an essential part of entrepreneurship. If you work hard, you can get an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/eric-ries-2911_21st-century_our-educational-system-is-not-preparing_2189641.png" --- # Our educational system is not preparing people for the… ![“Our educational system is not preparing people for the 21st Century. Failure is an essential part of entrepreneurship. If you work hard, you can get an 'A' pretty much guaranteed, but in entrepreneurship, that's not how it works.” quote by Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/eric-ries-2911_21st-century_our-educational-system-is-not-preparing_2189641.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/eric-ries-2911_21st-century_our-educational-system-is-not-preparing_2189641.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/eric-ries-2911_21st-century_our-educational-system-is-not-preparing_2189641.png) > “Our educational system is not preparing people for the 21st Century. Failure is an essential part of entrepreneurship. If you work hard, you can get an 'A' pretty much guaranteed, but in entrepreneurship, that's not how it works.” [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Traditional education emphasizes predictable outcomes, while entrepreneurship thrives on uncertainty and learning from failure. **In simple terms:** School teaches certainty, entrepreneurship needs risk. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and learn from mistakes. Themes education entrepreneurship risk learning Mood critical hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - starting a business - career change - skill acquisition - project management Key Concepts Innovation failure skill development Questions to Reflect On - How can curricula integrate failure as a learning tool? - What skills are most missing in current education? A Different Perspective Not all fields can adopt entrepreneurial methods; some require rigorous standards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Educational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational/) [Educational system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational-system/) [Entrepreneurship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurship/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [Working with everyone from the small businesses and entrepreneurs to the largest businesses that work in the state and understanding how entrepreneurship works is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-burgum/working-with-everyone-from-the-small-businesses-and-entrepreneurs-to/) [Doug Burgum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-burgum/) > [Teaching children about entrepreneurship is much like imparting any other skill or piece of knowledge. You will provide them with ways to experience how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/teaching-children-about-entrepreneurship-is-much-like-imparting-any/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [Entrepreneurship works on the apprenticeship model. The best way to learn how to be an entrepreneur is to start a company and seek the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caterina-fake/entrepreneurship-works-on-the-apprenticeship-model-the-best-way-to/) [Caterina Fake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caterina-fake/) > [Nobody likes to fail but failure is an essential part of life and of learning. If your uniform isn't dirty, you haven't been in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/nobody-likes-to-fail-but-failure-is-an-essential-part-of-life-and-of/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [Every event has a purpose and every setback a lesson. Failure is essential to personal expansion. It brings inner growth and a whole host…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-event-has-a-purpose-and-every-setback-a-lesson-failure-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Progress is built, in effect, upon the foundations of necessary failure. That is the essential paradox of expert performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-syed/progress-is-built-in-effect-upon-the-foundations-of-necessary-failure/) [Matthew Syed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-syed/) > [“Harada: Failure is essential, Amanda. It's the motivator. Even as an infant. You fall and fall again until eventually you can put one foot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-kindt/harada-failure-is-essential-amanda-it-s-the-motivator-even-as-an/) Matt Kindt > [In relation to the political decontamination of our public life, the government will embark upon a systematic campaign to restore the nation's moral and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/in-relation-to-the-political-decontamination-of-our-public-life-the/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [I think my deepest criticism of the educational system . . . is that it's all based upon a distrust of the student. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/i-think-my-deepest-criticism-of-the-educational-system-is-that-it-s/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [Our educational system is appallingly poor right now. Yet, somehow we're turning out some of the most intellectual and powerful sophisticated minds in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-wallop/our-educational-system-is-appallingly-poor-right-now-yet-somehow-we/) [Malcolm Wallop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-wallop/) > [If you think advantage lies in resources, then you think the best educational system is the one that spends the most money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/if-you-think-advantage-lies-in-resources-then-you-think-the-best/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Universities are reluctant to update their syllabus as per industry requirement, not because their students will have to take the trouble to learn new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/universities-are-reluctant-to-update-their-syllabus-as-per-industry/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [We are completely void of anything to do with God. Teachers can't touch a child - even to hug a crying child. Young boys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-murray-1st-earl-of-mansfield/we-are-completely-void-of-anything-to-do-with-god-teachers-can-t/) [William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-murray-1st-earl-of-mansfield/) > [There's all of this stuff where we have so much debate over nonsense; it could be cured if we had a better educational system,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-r-ehrlich/there-s-all-of-this-stuff-where-we-have-so-much-debate-over-nonsense/) [Paul R. Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-r-ehrlich/) > [We can't live true to our set of values unless American educational system is strong. I really believe that if we don't get that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/we-can-t-live-true-to-our-set-of-values-unless-american-educational/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) ## More by Eric Ries > [The lesson of the MVP is that any additional work beyond what was required to start learning is waste, no matter how important it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/the-lesson-of-the-mvp-is-that-any-additional-work-beyond-what-was/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [HubSpot has used the lean startup method to build a spectacularly successful company. What I particularly love about HubSpot is that they are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/hubspot-has-used-the-lean-startup-method-to-build-a-spectacularly/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [By the time that product is ready to be distributed widely, it will already have established customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/by-the-time-that-product-is-ready-to-be-distributed-widely-it-will/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [It was 1999, and we were building a way for college kids to create online profiles for the purpose of sharing... with employers. Oops.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/it-was-1999-and-we-were-building-a-way-for-college-kids-to-create/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Except in very narrow cases, where there's breakthrough science that needs patent production, worrying about competitors is a waste of time. If you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/except-in-very-narrow-cases-where-there-s-breakthrough-science-that/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“waiting too long to release can lead to the ultimate waste: making something that nobody wants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/waiting-too-long-to-release-can-lead-to-the-ultimate-waste-making/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [There's nothing wrong with raising venture capital. Many lean startups are ambitious and are able to deploy large amounts of capital. What differentiates them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-raising-venture-capital-many-lean-startups/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“In the Lean Startup model, every product, every feature, every marketing campaign—everything a startup does—is understood to be an experiment designed to achieve validated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/in-the-lean-startup-model-every-product-every-feature-every-marketing/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Learning is the essential unit of progress for startups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/learning-is-the-essential-unit-of-progress-for-startups/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“...a long-term reputation is only at risk when companies engage in vocal launch activities such as PR and building hype. When a product fails…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/a-long-term-reputation-is-only-at-risk-when-companies-engage-in-vocal/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [The minimum viable product is that version of a new product which allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/the-minimum-viable-product-is-that-version-of-a-new-product-which/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Every startup has a chance to change the world, by bringing not just a new product, but an entirely new institution into existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/every-startup-has-a-chance-to-change-the-world-by-bringing-not-just-a/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Entrepreneurs can't forecast accurately, because they are trying something fundamentally new. So they will often be laughably behind plan - and on the brink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/entrepreneurs-can-t-forecast-accurately-because-they-are-trying/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Meritocracy is a good thing. Whenever possibly, people should be judged based on their work and results, not superficial qualities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/meritocracy-is-a-good-thing-whenever-possibly-people-should-be-judged/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [The lean startup method is not about cost, it is about speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/the-lean-startup-method-is-not-about-cost-it-is-about-speed/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) [Explore all 138 Eric Ries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) ## More 21st century quotes > [The young people today are the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/the-young-people-today-are-the-21st-century/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [“You know it’s the 21st Century when someone TEXTS you from the washroom to ask you to bring them a roll of toilet paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comic-strip-mama/you-know-it-s-the-21st-century-when-someone-texts-you-from-the/) Comic Strip Mama > [“I am made of a thousand ghosts. Only you can shoot me down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-james/i-am-made-of-a-thousand-ghosts-only-you-can-shoot-me-down/) Bella James > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The hope of Internet anarchists was that repressive governments would have only two options: accept the Internet with its limitless possibilities of spreading information,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/the-hope-of-internet-anarchists-was-that-repressive-governments-would/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Maybe we need a tax credit for the poorest Americans to buy a laptop. Now, maybe that's wrong, maybe that's expensive, maybe we can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/maybe-we-need-a-tax-credit-for-the-poorest-americans-to-buy-a-laptop/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [The 20th century has been marked by cynicism, selfishness, greed, and the desire to please, all without changing the status quo. In the 21st…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/the-20th-century-has-been-marked-by-cynicism-selfishness-greed-and/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [I firmly believe that the mission of religion in the 21st century must be to contribute concretely to the peaceful coexistence of humankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/i-firmly-believe-that-the-mission-of-religion-in-the-21st-century/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Facebook, Twitter...Welcome to The 21st Century...Where Someone can stalk you without leaving the couch!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/facebook-twitter-welcome-to-the-21st-century-where-someone-can-stalk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Human Race is all over universe! And I am the first person to inform you. I am the most influential person of this decade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwani-kumar-ojha/human-race-is-all-over-universe-and-i-am-the-first-person-to-inform/) [Ashwani Kumar Ojha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwani-kumar-ojha/) > [Like the railroads that brought us together in the 19th century, these trails will bring us together in the 20th and 21st centuries. (at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/like-the-railroads-that-brought-us-together-in-the-19th-century-these/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [What I love about making albums in the 21st century is that so few people buy albums! I can make an album without any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/what-i-love-about-making-albums-in-the-21st-century-is-that-so-few/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [As a former Apollo astronaut, I think it's safe to say that SpaceX and the other commercial developers embody the 21st century version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-schweickart/as-a-former-apollo-astronaut-i-think-it-s-safe-to-say-that-spacex-and/) [Rusty Schweickart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-schweickart/) > [The computer provides the only way to give students a real foundation in 21st-century skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-negroponte/the-computer-provides-the-only-way-to-give-students-a-real-foundation/) [Nicholas Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-negroponte/) Browse all 771 21st century quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our educational system is not preparing people for the 21st Century. 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