How Do I Become Successful Without College
1. Bill Gates
He is the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft Corporation, the world largest software company. Dropped out of Harvard to focus on building Microsoft. According to Forbes magazine, Bill Gates has held the position of the world richest man for thirteen consecutive years and he not showing a sign of letting go that position.
2. Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison was labeled dumb and scatterbrain by his school teachers but he went on to become one of the worlds greatest inventors and founded General Electric one of the most powerful companies in the world.
3. Orji Uzor Kalu
He is one of the richest men on the soil of Africa. This young billionaire was rusticated from college for his participation in a students protest. Instead of lamenting over his predicament he started trading on palm oil and from that humble beginning, he grew his business into a conglomerate Slok Group. Though he was later pardoned by the school authorities, he rejected the amnesty offer thereby refusing to return to school.
4. Li Ka Shing
5. Richard Branson
6. Lawrence J. Ellison
7. Michael Dell
8. Steve Jobs
9. Henry Ford
What Is Your Personal Brand
Today, the job market is very competitive and tough. Having a great CV will only let you go so far because everyone has a CV, but no one else has your distinct personal brand! It is your personal brand that differentiates you from everyone else and that is what people buyyou.
Your personal brand is your mark on the world. It is how people you interact with and the world see you. It is your legacyit is more important than a business brand because your personal brand lasts forever.
I have coached people who have very successful careers, and they come to me because they have suddenly found that they are not getting the opportunities or having the conversations that would them to their next role. They are having what I call a career meltdown, all because they have no personal brand.
A personal brand helps you become conscious of your differences and your uniqueness. It allows you to position yourself in a way that makes you stand out from the pack, especially among other potential job applicants.
Dont get me wrong, having a great CV and a is important. However, there are a few steps that you have to take to have a CV and LinkedIn profile that is aligned to who you are, the value you offer to the market, and the personal guarantee that you deliver results.
1. Work Harder Than Anyone
If you aren’t going to utilize a degree, then you’ve got to work harder than anyone you’ve ever known. There will be a lot of sacrifices that you will need to make. You’ve got to ask yourself if you are ready for that because nobody is going to come along and create success for you.
Unfortunately, a lot of people get mesmerized by “get rich quick” stories. They want to do important things, but they aren’t willing to do the work in order to get there. As a result, they are constantly looking for shortcuts to try to speed up the process. Here’s the thing… there are no shortcuts to real success in life, especially if you aspire to become an entrepreneur.
The most successful people in this world didn’t get to where they are today by dabbling through life. Rather, every single day, they hustled to make their dreams come true. The only way to get to the top is to become the master of your life. If you aren’t willing to commit the time, energy, and effort that it takes in order to build a successful life, you will always come up short.
2. Master The Art Of Self-Promotion
Selling is an overlooked asset, but it’s something that everyone needs to master if they want to be successful in life. No matter what career path you take, you need to learn how to sell yourself and your ideas. Unfortunately, the history of the word “selling” has given it a bad name.
Selling isn’t about shoving your business card down people’s throats at networking events and telling them all of the reasons why you are the best. Rather, it’s about knowing your value and communicating it in an authentic way. If you can’t influence those around you, you won’t get very far in life. In order to effectively sell yourself, you have to first think about what your unique value proposition is.
What are your strengths and talents? What makes you stand out from the rest? When you have a solid understanding of who you are and what you bring to the table, you will know how best you can serve yourself and others.
In his book, To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others, Daniel Pink said that “The purpose of a pitch isn’t necessarily to move others immediately to adopt your idea. The purpose is to offer something so compelling that it begins a conversation, brings the other person in as a participant, and eventually arrives at an outcome that appeals to both of you.”
People who have mastered the art of selling are able to effectively communicate their messages in ways that influence people’s behaviors. The reality is that when people trust and like you, they will be more likely to buy your products or services.
How to Invest in Your Education
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
Your education is an investment, so invest wisely. Do your homework when it comes to the school you plan to attend, and the major or degree you plan to graduate with. Some degrees and majors have higher or lower ROI, so make sure yours has a high ROI to make it worth your money.
Knowing your financing options is an important part of paying for your college degree. Do as much research into relevant scholarships that you can, and apply for them, no matter if the reward amount is large or small. The small scholarship amounts can really add up!
Make sure to fill out a yearly FAFSA to determine your eligibility for federal student aid. If you can, try to pay off some of the tuition while you are in school. Check out options for work-study, where you get paid and earn college credit while you work. See if you can also work for college credit, or TA for a class to offset tuition costs.
Finding financial success while you are in college is possible. Try starting a side business, either with yourself or with colleagues. If it goes well, you can pursue it further after graduation. There are plenty of student-friendly jobs available that are either part-time, flexible, online, or a combination of all three. Saving wherever you can will help you out big time in the long run. Try to eat in, stick to your budget, and use all the student discounts you can while you are in college.
Making tough decisions is a part of financial success in college. You might have to forgo a dream school if the price is too high, or you might opt to live at home during college to save money. These are tough decisions to make, but ultimately will help you financially in the long run.
You don’t have to be a part of the student debt crisis. If you attend a low-cost university, it is possible to work part-time throughout the school to pay off the tuition as you go. If you attend the University of the People, your classes will be tuition-free, almost guaranteeing that you graduate from college debt-free with a useful and in-demand degree.
Many Successful Leaders Don’t Have College Degrees
1. Steve Jobs: Steve Jobs went to Reed College for computing but dropped out after just one semester. After spending some time in India, he went on to build one of the most powerful and influential companies today: Apple.
2. Richard Branson: As a dyslexic student, Branson didn’t have much success in school and dropped out of high school. He is now a billionaire, and the founder and CEO of Virgin Group.
3. Dave Thomas: Founder and former CEO of Wendy’s, Thomas left high school to work for a restaurant in Indiana. He opened the first Wendy’s in 1969 and the rest is history!
4. Michael Dell: Dell went to college because his parents wanted him to become a doctor. But during school, he started a side gig refurbishing computers that became so successful, he dropped out after one year.
5. Rachael Ray: Believe it or not, Rachael Ray has no culinary training or any degree for that matter. She used her skills, personality, and tenacity to become the amazing food star that she is today.
6. Henry Ford: Ford left his family’s farm at the age of 16 to move to Detroit and work as an apprentice in a machine shop. He has no formal schooling in engineering or business but went on to revolutionize the automotive and business world.
7. John D. Rockefeller Sr.: Rockefeller, like many of his time, started working at the age of 16 with only some knowledge of bookkeeping. He is known as one of the richest Americans to ever live and founded one of the most successful companies in America, Standard Oil.
8. Steven Spielberg: Spielberg was actually denied acceptance to film school twice. While attending another school, he started as an intern at Universal Studios and began his career that way. He eventually received an honorary degree, 35 years after first attending college.
9. Mary Kay Ash: Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, started her company in 1963 at the age of 45 after decades of watching men get promoted instead of her. Before she started Mary Kay Cosmetics, she was a successful businesswoman much ahead of her time.
Resource:
https://www.everythingcollege.info/how-do-i-become-successful-without-college/
https://projectlifemastery.com/how-to-be-successful/
https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/do-you-have-to-go-to-college-to-be-successful/