Quote:
Originally Posted by Baldini  Hey,
I started out with business at age 20 after being at two different colleagues (market economist 6 months and cooking school 3 months), and I found both of them very limiting in term of learning what I wanted to learn/gain.
I wanted to learn the necessary skills in order to succeed in business. The problem is the people who know that are (most likely) not the ones teaching, but some inexperienced teacher who only know some theoretical stuff, which most often is not congruent with the model of reality.
My advice is to become member of some entrepreneurship group and to learn from someone who actually has tried it on their own body.
I found out the best/fastest way to learn is to try out without safety-net. Just go for it and see what happens. |
I agree with you. I'm currently in business at college and I have learned infinitely more out of school than I have in school, simply because they teach alot of stuff that has NO RELEVANCE whatsoever to what I want to do when I leave college, which amazingly is to own my own business.
I have learned sooo much more from spending time on the internet at home and by going out and meeting entrepreneurs, and going to conferences.
If I could go back I would have instead spent the money, like you say - going to entrepreneurship groups and meetings/conferences around my state to gain some knowledge that would actually be beneficial to my progress.
Another fact you have stated that not too many people ever realize, is that when you just go to college without ever having 'tried it without the safety-net' you maybe absorb knowledge at a rate of 20%, no more! Why? Because at that time you have no idea what you actually need to know!! And because they cover so many random-mundane topics like "What is Harold's theory on economics" "What is Krock's theory of human behaviour in a group" Blah blah blah
The way to really 'learn' is to get your feet wet and realize WHAT you need to know, then you can focus in on that information and absorb it at a comprehension rate of 90%+
So far the only positive aspect I see to being in college, is as someone else mentioned, the networking part of it, getting to meet alot of like-minded people. Although even then I don't see that as being a huge bonus - I've always been years ahead of everyone that I hang around with and that includes everyone I have met (so far). No wonder every single person whose ever asked me how old I am (I always then ask, how old do you think I am?) Has ALWAYS said 4-5 years older than I actually am, and thats about 35~ times.
Besides, a degree in my opinion is worthless unless, just maybe, you want to be a supervisor or a manager, even then all it takes is to meet the right person and display the appropriate behaviour and chances are you are off to a great start getting that position without a degree.