“It is better to learn wisdom late than never to learn it at all.” – Sherlock Holmes, from Arthur Conan Doyle’s Holmes short story, The Man with the Twisted Lip.

While I’ve always been a fan of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories, since reading the DK Big Ideas Book about Sherlock Holmes, I’ve gained new appreciation for the wisdom author Arthur Conan Doyle put into the mouth of his iconic character. That book mentioned a bevy of extremely quotable Holmes dialogue, but this is the first I wanted to analyze in depth for a series analyzing Holmes quotations. After all, many people seem to think it’s too late to get smart, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

As a strong proponent of lifelong learning, I greatly enjoy whenever anyone picks up a new venture for the first time, no matter their age. This includes blogging, learning an instrument, or making YouTube videos. You’re never too young or old to try something new. After all, wisdom starts with admitting you don’t know everything.

While Holmes himself wasn’t referring exactly to lifelong learning, Doyle himself was indeed a lifelong learner. Doyle never stopped being well-read and kept up on many different subjects, as did the character Holmes; of course, in Holmes’ case, he was only focused on the subjects that helped him to solve cases.

Believe it or not, I’ve had people tell me that at thirty-eight  – as of writing this essay – I’m too old to make anything of myself. I went to university for four years, two in New Hampshire, and two in Massachusetts, but I never was able to finish my degree for a number of circumstantial reasons. But even if I were to continue my college education now, it would involve me practically starting over as a freshman. That’s not only insulting to me; it would accomplish nothing. 

Fortunately, I’ve been witnessing a movement to promote lifelong learning over the past few years, with folks starting their autodidact journeys at every age imaginable. Many university-level courses are being offered for low monthly subscription fees or even for free as the demand for continuing education has skyrocketed.

The problem is how many job opportunities now demand not just a bachelor’s degree, but a master’s degree in a specific field, sometimes even two master’s degrees in specific fields, just to qualify for the job opening. This is why so many people are starting their own businesses, making YouTube videos, writing blogs, and becoming social media influencers. We’ll always need employees in many fields. But the “be your own boss” mindset is taking over because this age of credentialism and enforced corporate elitism has made it trendy for those of us whose resumes simply don’t pass muster with today’s absurd hiring criteria.

So, Holmes’ wisdom is even more relevant now than ever. I’m not saying you shouldn’t go back to school, especially if you’re only a few credits short of a degree. But, before you mortgage your future for tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars for a piece of paper that may end up not even being worth the paper it’s printed on in just a few short years, aim to become a lifelong learner instead. View education as an ongoing process. Take courses as part of a self-enrichment journey, not as just a puzzle piece in a credits game for an accredited degree program.

Even as I’m able to comfortably retire with my wife, thanks to having some fortunate circumstances, I know how fortunate I am. Yet, while I could simply kick back and relax, I still retain the drive to continue to better myself, even in the face of anti-intellectualism and ageist movements that attempt to stop anyone of over a certain age from achieving anything meaningful. Fortunately, a lot of people are in my position who are trying to protect those less fortunate from being taken advantage of, offering opportunities to express themselves openly and freely. 

Unfortunately, many of us are not in a position where we can simply quit our jobs and strike out on our own. I get that. I was in that position myself until my early thirties. But, I got lucky and I count my blessings every day that I no longer have to work for a living. I wasn’t always wise, and funny enough with each year that passes, I realize just how much more I don’t know. Still, I hope to give back to the world with whatever wisdom I can however I’m able. So, no matter what your age is right now as you read this, know wisdom is still within your reach, and with today’s tech, it’s likely right there at your fingertips.