The joy of study - is there really such a thing?

Strategic management doesn't necessarily need be dull colourless and boring - but generally it is. Sitting in Seminyak overlooking Kuta Beach is an ideal classroom to relate to the concepts and implementation of strategic management, I have to be reading something after all, so why waste my time on literature I sometimes think? You can only stare out at the sea for so long.

I can remember back to my mid twenties when I would work half to three quarters of the year and backpack the rest of the time. I would have anywhere from three to six months (I would generally choose six months) to enjoy life leaving the stresses of the mining industry that was my employment of choice back then. I took novels with me, seriously adding weight to my backpack, pouring over and analysing the writings of Maugham, Fitzgerald, Elliott, Dickens, Durrell and Hemingway at every chance.

No time for literature now, I'm mid forties and reassessing my relevance in the world of employment, hopefully succeeding so I can retire in another ten to fifteen years and once again enjoy the storytelling abilities of not only the masters but of up and coming writers plying their trade.

There is no joy in study, let's get that right firstly - there is a sense of achievement in completing a qualification, a thirst for knowledge realised, a financial gain for implementing structures and programs in your workplace and finally a sense of relief when it is all over. But joy in the actual act of study - hell no, there is stress, deadlines, quizzes, online tests, case studies to write and present and two hour written examinations to overcome.

Between dives at Malapascua Island, Philippines, after getting up in the dark to hit the water just as the sun rises to interact with thresher sharks, I am able to train my sub-conscious thought to Does the industry off attractive opportunities for growth? Given such a setting, preparing a case study isn't so stressful but I normally limit myself to preparing the notes and researching material, the actual writing is still done huddled around my computer at home late at night after finishing a day of employment.

What strikes me is the time taken to complete a unit, this was spread out over two overseas trips, Puerto Galera & Malapascua in June for two weeks and Bali in September for a week. This takes a whole bunch of time, effort and money but study in such environments lifts the stress component from the course and I have found flights and airports the perfect place to read and write notes - that is after all, down time anyway.