Comments on: Screw Going Back to School http://www.delightfulwork.com/2007/10/13/screw-going-back-to-school/ Tom Volkar ~ Career Coaching Your Leap to Self-Employment Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:42:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Richard X. Thripp http://www.delightfulwork.com/2007/10/13/screw-going-back-to-school/#comment-1100 Richard X. Thripp Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:07:27 +0000 http://delightfulwork.com/2007/10/13/screw-going-back-to-school/#comment-1100 I like this, because it's true and it's the opposite of what most people (even personal development blogs) say. I see too many people at college who are just there to "get a degree and make more money." If I ask them enough questions, I can usually find what they really want to do: something like music, poetry, photography, or web design, but they don't want to put in the tremendous effort to succeed in those fields. They want to do something easy. Life isn't easy. <abbr><em>Richard X. Thripps last blog post..<a href="http://richardxthripp.thripp.com/photo-vegetarianism-674">Photo: Vegetarianism</a></abbr></em> I like this, because it’s true and it’s the opposite of what most people (even personal development blogs) say.

I see too many people at college who are just there to “get a degree and make more money.” If I ask them enough questions, I can usually find what they really want to do: something like music, poetry, photography, or web design, but they don’t want to put in the tremendous effort to succeed in those fields. They want to do something easy.

Life isn’t easy.

Richard X. Thripps last blog post..Photo: Vegetarianism

]]> By: Tom Volkar http://www.delightfulwork.com/2007/10/13/screw-going-back-to-school/#comment-37 Tom Volkar Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:14:50 +0000 http://delightfulwork.com/2007/10/13/screw-going-back-to-school/#comment-37 Yes Bill, I love your story about just doing what you wanted to when you wanted to. There's always a more direct way to get what we want. You went straight at it and learned a lot from the experience. You're not lacking in courage, so I'm sure you'll tell your son what’s in your gut about possible options and consequences. Help him to feel what’s in his gut and then ask. What do I really want to do above everything else right now? How would that make me feel? If imagining what he wants makes him feel good then tell him to go for it with all his heart. He’s got a wonderful example of following his passions in you. Yes Bill, I love your story about just doing what you wanted to when you wanted to. There’s always a more direct way to get what we want. You went straight at it and learned a lot from the experience.

You’re not lacking in courage, so I’m sure you’ll tell your son what’s in your gut about possible options and consequences. Help him to feel what’s in his gut and then ask. What do I really want to do above everything else right now? How would that make me feel? If imagining what he wants makes him feel good then tell him to go for it with all his heart. He’s got a wonderful example of following his passions in you.

]]> By: Bill Weil http://www.delightfulwork.com/2007/10/13/screw-going-back-to-school/#comment-36 Bill Weil Sat, 13 Oct 2007 12:51:13 +0000 http://delightfulwork.com/2007/10/13/screw-going-back-to-school/#comment-36 Wonderfully stated and so very true! When I graduated Magna Cum Laude with an English degree I was qualified for nothing. My best friend and I decided to open a restaurant. So many people dream of opening a restaurant. We just did it. We didn't know what we were doing but knew we'd figure it out as we went along. I was quoted in the local paper (Northhampton, Massachusetts was a small town) and the big punchline was something like, "This is a lot more fun, and a hell of a lot cheaper, than business school." It was true. We spent maybe $10,000 each (in 1979) to launch the business and were quickly at breakeven. Do you think we would have learned more about running a business by sitting in a classroom? It's possible, but I sincerely doubt it. Years later, when I KNEW I wanted a career in software, I went back to school and got a Master's in Computer Science. It was difficult (I did not have any computer background) but knowing what I wanted pulled me through. Soon after I started my first software-related business, and I've started a few since then. Now I just have to see if I have enough guts to tell my High School Junior to resist going to college until he figures out what he wants to do. Yikes. Otherwise I'll feel like a right-to-lifer taking my little girl to the clinic to get rid of her "little mistake." Wonderfully stated and so very true!

When I graduated Magna Cum Laude with an English degree I was qualified for nothing. My best friend and I decided to open a restaurant.

So many people dream of opening a restaurant. We just did it. We didn’t know what we were doing but knew we’d figure it out as we went along. I was quoted in the local paper (Northhampton, Massachusetts was a small town) and the big punchline was something like, “This is a lot more fun, and a hell of a lot cheaper, than business school.”

It was true. We spent maybe $10,000 each (in 1979) to launch the business and were quickly at breakeven. Do you think we would have learned more about running a business by sitting in a classroom? It’s possible, but I sincerely doubt it.

Years later, when I KNEW I wanted a career in software, I went back to school and got a Master’s in Computer Science. It was difficult (I did not have any computer background) but knowing what I wanted pulled me through. Soon after I started my first software-related business, and I’ve started a few since then.

Now I just have to see if I have enough guts to tell my High School Junior to resist going to college until he figures out what he wants to do. Yikes. Otherwise I’ll feel like a right-to-lifer taking my little girl to the clinic to get rid of her “little mistake.”

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