I got annoyed recently at a dude who isn't a college graduate and yet seems to have had an okay life so far. Dude works in a service industry and has a life that seems comparable to that of someone who has a graduate degree and is working in a position of management.
I got annoyed because dude came across as trying to celebrate college dropouts who made it as if it should be a source of encouragement to those who were on the fence about going to or completing college.
I doubt if Steve Jobs ever had to fill out a job application in his entire life.
To me...it totally came across as him having some insecurities about not having a college degree and him finally getting the chance to wag his finger at the naysayers who tried to encourage him to go to college.
And that ish irked me.
Look...college ain't for everyone...true.
Are there some people who took other routes and became rich WITHOUT college? Yes there are. All I'm saying is the type of focus and drive and hard work that it takes to be Bill Gates college dropout successful isn't in everybody and suggesting it is...is a gamble of epic proportions. I believe you have to have a singular DRIVE in a singular AREA to have that type of success and be damn near OBSESSED with it.
And hey...let's keep it real. Most folks don't have that.
ESPECIALLY kids unless it's recognizable early on they are a child prodigy.
The successful person is always working. ALWAYS. They're having conversations with people and thinking about work. They're having a drink with people and thinking about work. They're on the computer working. They're working out thinking about work. Who's doing what they're doing better? How could they make it work faster? New technology. Constant changes. Perfecting styles. Studying the history of their focus. Keeping abreast of all the new people in their field. Attending conferences, etc., etc., etc.
Most successful people are DRIVEN in and toward their singular obsession.
And there are a lot of people who don't have that kind of drive.
If a person truly doesn't have that type of drive and they are encouraged to not go to college...they're being set up for a hard knock life by an idjit who is still trying to justify the reasons for their choices. It's all about them...NOT the person needing the encouragement.
Will having that degree automatically set you up for success? No. But let's be honest...sometimes the first thing checked off when employers are hiring is whether or not the person has a degree and to those people that simply means that the person has the wherewithal to FINISH something known to be important in our society.
Hell...I know a woman with a Ph.D. who has been out of work for over 2 years in this economy so yeah...no guarantees but she could totally get a job and be UNDERemployed for a minute if her money got way funny.
A degree is simply insurance for many. Ain't nothing wrong with having coverage.
As I told a 23 year old young lady recently who wants to be an actress and thinks she has what it takes even as she doesn't have a fall back plan and is already struggling to pay her basic living expenses, "Go to school."
Why? Because in my mind...it would be irresponsible for me to tell her to follow her dream knowing how hard it is in this industry for a Black actress to succeed and knowing good and well that young lady is going to have to eat. Her parents aren't upper middle class or rich. They can't cover her living expenses while she puts in the leg work to follow her dream. Sure...she's talented but so are a lot of other struggling actresses out there.
I ENCOURAGED her to have a backup plan. INSURANCE.
Median Annual Income, by Level of Education, 1990–2008
What say YOU? What would YOU have told the young lady?
