Training in geology develops this talent in important ways. In our lifetime, the world faces a host of extraordinarily complex problems. These are very real problems. And they are all connected. To work with any of these problems effectively, we need people who can intelligently analyze how things are and how they have been, and by doing so be able to predict how things are most likely to change through time given the influence of key variables such as the way humans are consuming resources and throwing around newly invented substances.
Geologists are people who have a special knack for working such puzzles.
This skill is intuitively based and quite fluid, making it adaptable to a variety of situations and problems, many of which do not superficially appear to have anything to do with the study of the Earth. Further, it is creative, inventive, and often playful, keeping the geologist loose enough to come up with original solutions. It comes with a knack for doing the most with the least. And this talent and its attendant skills continue to develop throughout life, leading from early insights, through synthesis of ever larger concepts, and potentially maturing into an extraordinary capacity to lead, teach, and inspire. What s important is that you make an essential contribution to our world and have a fascinating time doing it.