Quote of the Day: Jon Secada on Education

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to start your next chapter, at work, at home, or inside your own mind, let this be the permission you need: “I’m a big believer in education, period.”

That final word matters. “Period” closes the door on excuses and loopholes. Education isn’t something you do only when it’s convenient, only when it produces a credential, or only when it’s profitable. It’s a principle, a daily practice of becoming more capable, more thoughtful, more human. When you treat learning that way, you stop asking, “Will this pay off?” and start asking, “Will this shape me?”

Make it practical: choose one area of life where you want more agency, your health, your finances, your relationships, your craft, and commit to a small, steady curriculum. Ten pages a day. One course module a week. A notebook of questions you’re willing to investigate instead of argue. Education lives in libraries and classrooms, yes, but also in rehearsal rooms, kitchen tables, and honest conversations. It builds discipline and deepens empathy, skills that travel with you everywhere.

Jon Secada earned his credibility the hard way: as a Cuban-American artist who crossed languages and genres, wrote for others, performed on major stages, and backed his success with philanthropy. His career is proof that creativity thrives when learning is non-negotiable.

July 14 is Bastille Day, a reminder that freedom is rarely granted; it’s built, and educated citizens help build it. Today, pick one topic you’ve been avoiding, learn for 20 focused minutes, and share one useful note with someone who needs it. May your curiosity stay sharp, and may your next step be wiser than your last.