For Success, Be a Student of Life

As our kids head back to school, or for some of us, we begin a new school year or routine, it’s a good time to remind ourselves that a formal education is just STEP 1 to success.  Being successful is really a factor of so much more than a diploma…

College Speakers without College Degrees

Last school year, my son had to give a speech, and I helped him do a little research. To get ideas for his speech, we watched YouTube videos of college commencement speeches. 

The funny thing about this research was that most of the extremely successful millionaires and billionaires giving these college commencement speeches had never actually received a college degree themselves.

 

So, what does that say about success?

What I think it says is that a degree doesn’t guarantee you’re going to be successful.  In previous generations, we were taught that if you got great grades and got into the best school and received the best education, you’d get the best job and be successful.

NEWSFLASH! Those days are over!

With the economy and job market the way it is, a great college degree doesn’t necessarily provide you with any extra security or mean as much anymore.  Even with a college degree, you can still get laid off, terminated, or replaced by somebody younger who’s willing to do the same job for less.

So, while I’m certainly not discouraging you from getting a degree, I want to remind you that to be successful, you have to be a student of life.

 

 

Develop Qualities that Make People Sit up and Take Notice

Become engrossed and obsessed with learning more about how to be a better you.

Learn about loyalty, honesty, and integrity.
Learn the habits of successful people. 
How do you develop these habits and characteristics and maintain them, so they become a part of your moral fiber? 
What types of skills do leaders have?

You know, leadership isn’t necessarily about charisma these days. 

There are some tremendously powerful leaders who don’t have charisma, but what they do have is loyalty, honesty, and integrity.  They have character.  They have opinions, beliefs, and commitments to other people. 

These kinds of qualities cause people to sit up and take notice.  Think about it… we are inspired and motivated by people with these qualities, and we identify them as strong leaders.

 

Become a Student of Life

So, as you send your kids off to school, or you begin a new school year or endeavor yourself, remember, a degree is just a small piece of the puzzle.  To truly be successful, you’ve got to be a great student of life.

Listen to audio programs in your car and make reading a priority.  Continually seek out ways to become a better employee, business owner, spouse, parent, friend, person…a better YOU!  Become a student of life!

Know that when you’re working on yourself, that’s the BEST way to improve your level of success in your career, your relationships, and all areas of your life.   And oftentimes, this information is free. 

So yes, a degree is valuable, but what’s MOST valuable and increases your level of success the most is working on YOU…because YOU can do anything.  Anything anyone else has done, you can do, too.  You just have to believe in yourself!