As soon as a child enters the world, he must strive for one thing: knowledge. He learns to walk, to eat, to defecate in the toilet. He remains in classrooms for at least twelve years and receives a basic education (although this is often not entirely by choice). Then he could choose to pay thousands of dollars later to receive further instruction, all for the sake of knowledge. Throughout his life, he will strive to learn, whether through teaching or experience, and he will not stop until his death. (insert transition sentence here) Unquestionably, the purpose of human life is to learn. The question now is why. Not only is learning a goal that all humanity desires to achieve, but it also promotes progress on a personal and global scale. Knowledge and experience are what allow people to succeed in their endeavors. Conversely, those who have a desire to learn are more successful than less ambitious individuals. This is evident when comparing the average salary of high school dropouts to that of college graduates. In 2011, young bachelor's degree graduates earned an average of $44,970, while the income of high school dropouts averaged $22,860, barely half of that of the former (“Annual earnings of young people adults"). At the very least, more time spent learning increases the chances of achieving financial security, which suggests a better quality of life. In the same way, learning helps people get better at what they do. We are rarely born better at something. Although one may possess a natural aptitude, this alone cannot constitute perfection, and often the knowledge one possesses is not enough to herald success. Take, for example, Thomas Edison, arguably one of the greatest innovators of all time, and knowledge is the foundation of all progress in life. You should never go a day without learning something. Works Cited “Annual Earnings for Young Adults.” NCE. National Center for Education Statistics, May 2013. Web. April 15, 2014. Brain, Marshall, Jeff Tyson and Julia Layton. “Analog Cell Phones”. How things work. Discovery, ndWeb. April 16, 2014. Cohen, Elizabeth and William Hudson. "Spinal cord work is an unexpected shock: 'It's a breakthrough'" CNN. Cable News Network, April 8, 2014. Web. April 8, 2014. Deaton, Jamie P. “Top 10 Alternative Fuels on the Road Right Now.” »HowStuffWorks. Discovery, ndWeb. April 15, 2014. “Discovery and development of penicillin.” ACS. American Chemical Society, nd Web. April 9, 2014. Furr, Nathan. “How Failure Taught Edison to Innovate Repeatedly.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, June 9, 2011. Web. April 15. 2014.