Be Brave Not Safe

High school and college students…If you are like me (at that stage of my life), I had NO CLUE as to what I wanted to do or be when I grew up. I still don’t 🙂

As we are making the transition from high school to that next level in our life and/or about to complete our Associates Degree in college (for example) we often want to pause, take a break, and come back to continuing our education — later. It just sounds like such a tantalizing prospect, FINALLY having some time off from school.

For those considering this, please think long and hard…

There are a number of very good reasons to NOT take the break and simply forge ahead to get that college education done:

• You are (likely) still living at home or are still under the wings of your parents, and therefore have reduced living expenses, allowing you to focus on knocking it (your grades) out of the park.
• Mom and Dad are “more likely” to continue providing an “assist” towards “continuing” that education.

If you “pause” a number of variables will be introduced that may result in you not actually completing that degree:

• You will likely want to move out on your own (which can be very liberating), increasing your living expenses.
• You will likely meet a significant other (if you haven’t already), increasing your living expenses 🙂
• You will get real focused on your current job(s) to pay for all the things you want to do. The job “may” not be as high paying as it could be, if you had achieved your degree(s).
• You will have entered a cycle (stage of life) that will make it increasingly difficult (certainly not impossible) to go back to school.
• Mom and Dad are going to retire at some point. Continuing to foot educational expenses may no longer be in their plan, in the future.

I’m certainly NOT saying the path outlined above is bad. I’m simply saying that, in taking it, you may not end up where you planned to be, in the desired timeframe. Said another way, the longer we delay getting the desired degree the longer we delay receiving the increased income that results from a higher level of education.

Time to repeat one of my favorite quotes:

Do what you MUST as quickly as possible, so you can do what you WANT for as long as possible.

As outlined in a prior post, education is the most powerful equalizing force. It is suggested that you take every advantage to get over the major hump of acquiring your degree(s) early, and then never stop self-education – that means FOREVER.

And, remember, education in and of itself is useless, unless we apply ourselves by working our tails off! If you do this, the sky is the limit!

As mentioned in recent posts, our oldest son (Ian / 25) just wrapped up his Bachelor’s Degree in Web Development, along with achieving an Associates Degree and related Certificates in his field along the way. His perspective: the time QUICKLY flew by, in the blink of an eye. He Got-R-Done! Now, he can look forward to building on this foundation!

All the best!