Book Smart vs Street Smart: Understanding Both Learning Styles
The Differences Between Book Smart and Street Smart
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Being Book Smart and Street Smart
When Book Smart and Street Smart Are at the Wrong Place
When Book Smart and Street Smart Go Together

The world is full of people who are either book smart or street smart. Each learning style has its own advantages and disadvantages. Knowing which style you belong to can help you understand how you process information and make decisions. However, in order to achieve big success, it is important to have a balance of both learning styles.

Book Smart vs Street Smart

Book smart people are typically well-read and possess a wealth of knowledge. They are experts at recalling, recognizing, and analyzing information. Characterized by their love of learning, book smart people are organized and prepared for any situation. They learn from successes and failures of others through reading. They benefit from theories, models, and insights of other people.

The street smart among us have worldly experience, which they use to make informed decisions about situations they encounter. They learn from their own mistakes and trust their judgment about people and circumstances. Street smart people adapt quickly to situations, with excellent situational awareness they are able to understand their environment and the people in it. They think creatively without being held back by rules and solve problems easily.

The differences between book smart and street smart individuals can be traced back to the way they learn. Book smart students are usually disciplined and try to follow rules. Their adherence to rules narrows their vision and prevents them from innovating. When faced with sudden changes, they may have trouble reacting.

On the other hand, street smart kids tend to be rebellious. They prioritize interactions with others over studying and reading. Class clowns are almost always street smart. However, they may trust their judgment too much and fail to see other options. They are also likely to repeat mistakes made by others because they did not learn from others’ experiences.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Being Book Smart and Street Smart

Book smart individuals are most successful when expectations are clearly defined. Government work and school settings are good for book smart people. However, the same setting can be oppressive for street smart people, leading them to act out in school because they’re forced to learn in ways that don’t make use of their talents.

Creative types, entrepreneurs, and those working in start-ups benefit from being street smart. They can excel where there are no rules or where they can make their own.

Book smart people can sometimes panic when they are faced with a sudden situation for which they have not had time to research, or if they are in a setting where they don’t have guidelines or the ability to research. Similarly, street smart individuals may not adapt in structured situations as easily because they cannot use their knack for improvisation.

When Book Smart and Street Smart Are at the Wrong Place

Educational environments can be oppressive for street smart people, leading them to act out in school because they’re forced to learn in ways that don’t make use of their talents. Street smarts often act out in school because they’re forced to learn in ways that don’t make use of their talents.

Similarly, book smart people may struggle in situations where they can’t sift through information, leading them to panic. Imagine going to a foreign country where you can’t speak the language, don’t have a cell phone, and don’t have a guide book, and you’ll know the feeling.

When Book Smart and Street Smart Go Together

A competent person possesses positive qualities of both book smart and street smart people. Such a person has a strong grasp of facts, information, and precedents like book smart people. He or she could learn from others’ mistakes without repeating them.

The street smart aspects of this person enable him or her to be adaptable and sensitive to the environment. They are knowledgeable about the rules and understand when they need to be broken.

Combining both learning styles allows a person to have a balanced approach towards problem-solving. They can approach situations with creativity and knowledge, adapting easily to new situations.

How to Have the Best of Both Worlds

In order to achieve success in both learning styles, it is important to focus on learning, taking actions based on what you learn, and accumulating experience. Reading allows you to learn from others’ mistakes and learn from their successes. When you read, the mental stimulation keeps your mind sharp and makes you better at solving problems. Analyzing details from books is excellent practice for tackling problems in the real world.

However, consuming the written word does not guarantee that you will use what you have read. Make connections to what you’ve read and put it into practice right away. The more often you make use of the information, the easier it will be to remember it. If you don’t put what you have learned into action, you cannot experience it in your own way.

Focus on improving yourself through many avenues, and get feedback so that you can revise what you’re doing and act again. A balance of both book smart and street smart qualities will enable you to achieve success in any situation.