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Jan
19

10 bold moves for a more creative you – Day #6

Today is day 6 of the “10 bold moves to stir up your creativity”.

Bold Move #6: Don’t follow the crowd. There is nothing we have to do, nowhere you have to go and no path we all should take.

The best way to look at this is to think about some of the things you heard about college growing up: “You have to go to college”. “Without a degree you’ll never be successful”. “You need to join a corporate world, get the 401K, the benefits, work til we’re 55 and then retire”. “Starting your own business is a pipe-dream”.

Were they right? I don’t think so.

Growing up, I watched my mom build a Mary Kay business from the ground up and become a successful senior director – with only a high school degree. Good thing too, because I learned more from her about business than I did in any of my colleges classes. She taught me the power of networking and talking to people (face to face, imagine that!). I learned how to market a business (by actually giving people something that benefits them, not just a bunch of ad-speak). She showed me that hard work didn’t have to mean 9-5 (she usually worked before I was awake, when I was in school and after I went to bed, so she could be a mom too). Don’t get me wrong, college is great, and I absolutely loved my time at CSULB – it was a time to learn, mature and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. But, college isn’t for all of us. Some can’t afford it, and others just don’t fit into college curriculum. My mom couldn’t do the college thing because she had to work full-time to support herself from the day she graduated High School.  What was more impressive was the fact that she never used not going to college as an excuse. When business was hard, she never complained about not having a degree, she just worked harder. Not only did she prove college wasn’t necessary to be successful, she did it with class and self confidence. Now just barely 50 (sorry for revealing it mom), she has been happily retired for 5 years and is spending her time traveling the country with my dad and visiting me because that is what she wants to be doing.

My point? As my mom always reminded me, in business and in life, “If you think you can; you can. If you think you can’t; you’re right.”

What do you think? Is college a must? Share your thoughts and experiences.

Click here to see the other 5 bold ideas

Related posts:

  1. 10 bold moves for a more creative you – Day #3
  2. 10 bold moves for a more creative you – Day #4
  3. 10 bold moves for a more creative you – Day #9

Category: Business & Marketing Strategy, Wright Point of View
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  • http://www.deckerblog.com Bert Decker

    I was about to say College is essential, but there are exceptions. But those ARE exceptions (like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates) who are uniquely gifted to start with. With or without college they would probably be a success. (See Outliers.)
    So I would definitely recommend college for everyone as it gives a higher platform for jumping into a successful life.
    Bert

  • http://www.rob-barrett.com Rob Barrett

    I wouldn’t say that’s it’s vital to go to college (university). Perhaps it’s different in the US than here in the UK, though.

    Straight out of school, I chose not to go to university, instead opting to travel for a couple of years. In between those, I spent a year working at a web design firm, which took the place of my industry training, along with my own efforts to advance design skills. I think being thrown in at the deep end with real client work is an effective way to advance (though perhaps a bit kill-or-cure).

    Certainly there are advantages that I would have gotten out of uni, but I don’t regret my choices for a minute. The life experiences that I got out of travelling were worth the trade-off and helped my grow in ways that I don’t believe I would have through staying in education.

    I think if you’re passionate about what you do, then you’ll make yourself learn, no matter what — college/uni will just be a boost-up.

  • Jackie

    I think college is an extremely important time for MOST people, not all. There are lessons and experiences that are invaluable to be learned at college that you can’t get anywhere else. Anyone who can go, should go. In this day and age, a piece of paper from a college opens doors to opportunities not available to everyone else.

    That said, if college wasn’t or isn’t an option, don’t let it deter you. Just educate yourself in other ways. The internet is a fantastic information tool and there is no reason to be UNeducated. Be your own best professor!

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