The Question
There’s a course for everything these days — budgeting, side hustles, crypto, mindset, you name it. And honestly, most of us have signed up for at least one or two. Maybe more. But it makes me wonder… are we genuinely learning something useful, or just paying for certificates to feel like we’re making progress?
The Illusion of Progress
You spend ₹999 on a finance course that promises to “transform your money mindset.” A few videos in, you feel like you’ve already done something good for yourself. That feeling is addictive — like buying a new notebook before writing anything. But then, the videos sit untouched for weeks. The workbook stays blank. Life gets busy, again. And that course? It quietly turns into one more tab you never get back to.
What’s happening here is simple — we’ve started to confuse starting something with changing something. Clicking “enroll” feels like action. But without follow-through, it’s no different than buying gym shoes and never walking.
Benefits (When You Actually Learn)
- You gain real confidence in managing money, not just textbook theory.
- Some skills can help you make better decisions right away — from budgeting smarter to investing wisely.
- Learning online is flexible — you can study on your own time, at your own pace.
- It’s often cheaper than traditional education, but still opens doors.
Challenges
- Most people don’t finish what they start — especially if there’s no pressure or deadline.
- We tend to buy multiple courses at once and don’t absorb any of them properly.
- Application is missing — watching a video doesn’t mean the habit has changed.
- There’s a weird guilt attached to unused courses — like you’re failing at self-growth.
Implementation (What Actually Works)
- Stick to one course at a time. Avoid hoarding them like digital collectibles.
- Set a real goal before starting: “I want to fix my monthly expenses” or “I want to start investing ₹1,000/month.”
- Schedule time for learning just like you do for work or workouts — even 30 minutes a week.
- Reflect after each module: What did I learn? How can I apply it today?
- Don’t chase perfection. If you apply even one useful idea, the course was worth it.
Conclusion
Learning has become more accessible than ever, and that’s a good thing. But somewhere along the way, we turned it into a personal branding game. Courses, badges, certificates — they look good, but real growth happens when you use the knowledge, not just collect it.
The next time you think about buying a course, ask yourself:
Will this help me do something different?
If the answer is yes — go for it. But finish it. Apply it. Make it count.
-Admin,Wealthio
