• What determines my success in the real world?
• Do I need a college degree to be successful?
• I have yet to discover my passion, so how do I find a career/business that suits my personality and goals?
• Won’t I always be stuck in a job I hate until retirement?
• What are your favorite books?

1. What determines my success in the real world?

Simply, your success or lack there of depends on how you define success.  I know that answer sounds like a load of BS so let me clarify.  Success is a journey, and you are the only one who gets to decide how successful you are at any given moment.  You can make that decision by analyzing how well you are achieving the bold goals you have set for yourself.  A highly successful and organized person will have written goals and a game plan to achieve them.  In a nut shell, organization is the backbone to understanding where you are now, and where you’re headed in the future.  There is a lot more to success than organization, but without it, you are simply living in the moment and never really know where you are.

2. Do I need a college degree to be successful?

No. Education is not a requirement for success in our society; though it does help in many ways.  The essence of education is that it teaches you how to learn.  Once you know how to learn, and you know how to apply the knowledge you’ve gained, you quickly realize that life is all about learning the bare minimum to get what you want.  If you want to go above that and learn more for you own benefit, go right ahead.  But understand that education is a tool that goes to waste if you don’t use it.  So, get what you need and move forward quickly.  If your long-term goal is to be a Financial Analyst on Wall Street, and the top 10 Financial Analysts today all have MBAs.  Guess what?  It would be a great idea for you to get your own MBA.  However, if your goal is to start your own catering business, you don’t even need to finish high school to make it happen; although you should.  Education is a wonderful investment of your time and money, but you don’t necessarily need a PhD to create wonderful success in your life.

3. I have yet to discover my passion, so how do I find a career/business that suits my personality and goals?

If you’re like most clueless grads out there, you probably have a billion ideas, interests, and goals, but you’re not sure which one to pursue or what you’re actually MOST passionate about.  Fortunately for you, this presents a wonderful opportunity to explore!  Experimentation is the name of the game.  You’re going to have to put yourself in as many unique situations as possible to begin to seek out what you obviously love and what you really can’t stand doing.  I have worked at 7 different jobs since I graduated college just two years ago!  That’s right, SEVEN.  Not to mention I started a personal website, this business, ran my first marathon, moved across the country twice, and got engaged.  It’s been a busy couple of years.  However, what I’ve discovered in that time is what I care about most, entrepreneurship, running, drinking coffee, and helping others.  Thus, this business was born and it is now my greatest passion.  You can do the same by following my lead.  Get out there and do stuff.  In the process, take notes, be observant, and always look inside yourself for the answer, it’ll be there.

4. Won’t I always be stuck in a job I hate until retirement?

Once again, NO!  You have a choice.  If you hate your job, you have the luxury to choose to get out of there faster than you got in.  Never settle for a job you hate because of your perceived obligations.  What I mean is that your sanity is way more important than the title on your resume or the paycheck on Friday.  So, find a job you can tolerate now, then make a strategic game plan to get yourself exactly where you want to go, not where someone else thinks you should be.  If you hate what you do, stop doing it.  Just make sure you’ve analyzed your realistic options for moving forward in a positive direction.  You can do it!

5. What are your favorite books?

Visit this page to see my current list of recommend reading.

*Have a question I haven’t answered?  Ask it HERE!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”