Over many decades, nations have been investing millions in education with a strong belief that it is “the only key to success”. This is a controversial issue and for a minute or two, let`s discuss it.
The question is: Is success only attained after school? Today`s billionaires barely went through formal education. Some focused on their gifts and capabilities, identified what they loved and followed their passions. Believe me, today they are the ‘who’s who’ of the world. Even without any formal education, these billionaires developed the gift of taking advantage of opportunities. Their success was never a result of schooling.
So if not schooling, what then is required for success?
The road to success does not always run through a classroom setting. Creativity (Open minded intelligence) is highly required to be successful. Those who are wise are not necessarily rewarded in school. Some creative thinkers may even work things to their advantage by failing. Lest we forget, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Richard Branson are among many of the world’s wealthiest people with no tertiary education. Their creativity is what put them on the success map. Actually, it is statistically proven that 32% of the world’s billionaires did not complete tertiary education.

So is school evil?
School is not bad. But what do you want to do after school? Who do you choose to become? After school, many choose to work for the government all their lives. For those of us who think about starting our own businesses, we are usually turned off by the projected risk, time commitment and extra work involved. True, there is much more involved in entrepreneurship than there is in a traditional nine-to-five job, but there is also great potential for reward. A traditional nine to five job, let`s admit it, can be quite limiting and boring too.
Of these two – working for the government or working for yourself, where do you find yourself? Remember, sometimes a nine to five job can end up being a trap for your future. At the end of the day, it`s all about choices.
Strategies for a life beyond school
It’s fine for students to try to get the best grades they possibly can, but at the end of the day, good report cards and university degrees are just pieces of paper.
Here are the strategies for a life beyond school
- First and foremost, ask yourself these three most crucial questions; Who am I? Where am I going? How am I going to get there?
- When you know who you are, now you may proceed to live focused.
- Expose yourself
- Invest in training and
- Live a life of continuous personal development.
Now you may pursue your dreams, overtake and lead all the way…
God Bless You