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Welcome to the Personal Development for Smart People Forums, the place for lively, intelligent discussion of all personal growth issues -- physical, mental, financial, social, emotional, spiritual, and more. You're currently viewing as a guest, which gives you limited read-only access. By joining our free community, you'll be able to post your own messages, access many members-only features, see the new messages posted since your last visit, and of course remove this header message. Registration is fast, simple, and free, so please join today. If you arrived here from a search engine, you may want to explore the main site first, which includes hundreds of deep and insightful articles on a variety of personal development topics. |
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05-24-2007, 01:39 AM
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 Depressed over no degree Im gonn akeep this short. But i keep hearing how you need a degree to get a decent job and how of all the people who dont have a degree very few become successful entrepenuers? Are any of you guys successful and do not have a degree?
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05-24-2007, 01:43 AM
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| to add to that... i keep trying to persuade myself that its the uni lifestyle that preceeds the success of people with degrees, as the process throught uni develops diligence and discipline to earn the degree you need to be eagre to learn. while the vast majority of drop outs are lazy and lack motivation for personal development. and that is the deal breaker i myself am a drop out but want to be a successful business owner of several small businesses... but it seems like im lacking direction and people tell me that, and that i have my head in the clouds
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05-24-2007, 02:23 AM
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| Hi, the only suggestion I can give you is: stick with it. You don't need a degree to be succesfull but you do need the business ethic (ideas, insight, brains, experience etc) and to be realistic. If you want to run businesses that's fine, great stuff: go for it. Thing is that businesses don't sprout out of the ground, they need some planning and some financials to start off with (or time). Build something first, even if its a trial product or trial website. After some testing start spreading the word, marketing and above all: networking. See what happens in the real world. The disadvantage of the drop out thing is that people wonder if you can finish what you started, they wonder about your reliability: will he do what he says? Will he carry through? Can we rely on him? Things like that. Know your stuff. Networking is great: get to know people who own businesses and who learned through trail and error. Work for one for a while to see what it's like. It's not Cloud 9 but it can definitely be heaps of fun. I don't like the boring tax figures either (accountant hurrah) but it's part of it. Know how to add numbers eventhough you don't like it much. About myself: A bachelor artdegree is cool but if you want to go in business it means squat. Really. I build my work exprience up by starting parttime somewhere and growing from there which paid off (4 jobs in 5 years). Every experience builds knowledge for future growth. The plan is to acquire knowledge and to follow your goals eventhough they might not be 100% in tune with where you'd like to end up. The uni degree means tiddly nada if you haven't a clue how things work in real life. Get experience and grow. Work hard. If you fall on your face, fine, that's how you learn. Get up, dust off and keep on truckin'. Good luck!  |
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05-24-2007, 02:53 AM
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| Hello MattUK... There are very few miracles in life… it is mostly like physic… action reaction… In order to build a successful business you have to be the type of person who can… you have to follow the: be, do, have formula… In other words, you have to “be” the person who can “do” the things that you have to “do” in order to get the things that you want to “have”… So… before you can start working on the business that you want to build… you have to start working on yourself… . |
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05-24-2007, 03:07 AM
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| I think you want some support. Some success story to point to to give you some more courage. This is perhaps the wrong place to ask about this because most of the forums' members are quite young (around uni/college age) and it takes time to become successful. I don't have a story, but I can tlel you this: it's not just a matter of numbers, its a matter of skill. That's why entrepreneurs who've had one venture under their belt (successful or not) do much better the second time around. This might help, too: http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/200...-a-black-belt/
__________________ Mind-Manual "Pure hell forces action, but anything less can be endured with enough clever rationalization." - Tim Ferriss |
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05-24-2007, 03:17 AM
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| In the "Science of Getting Rich" Wattles says that it doesn't matter who you are, but if you do something according to a particular Way, you will be successful. The same is for business. If you do things in a particular way, you will be successful. Even before formal institutions of education, people were successful businessmen. A business degree is not a requirement for success in business. You are only discouraged because of what the majority has done or is doing. People don't question the integrity of Bill Gates because he has established himself as a successful and responsible businessman. He also dropped out of college. You can do the same with dedication and work. Exceed the expectations of your existing clients and strive to do the same with new ones. |
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05-24-2007, 03:39 AM
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| I have a two year degree and if I had to do it all over again I wouldn't worry about getting one. It's just a limiting belief that makes you think you need one. I've been self employed for over ten years in different businesses throughout my life and my degree didn't do anything for me. I know it can be different for everyone but i'm more independent minded and BELIEVE I can make it even when I don't use my knowledge from a degree. |
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05-24-2007, 03:53 AM
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College is not just about acquiring information on a particular subject... it is also about intellectual growth and overall performance... . |
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05-24-2007, 07:42 AM
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| I have been on both sides of the spectrum. I have been a successful businessman without a degree, but I don't think a degree ever hurts if you can get one. Plus, it always helps as a Plan B. Last edited by Interpreneur : 05-26-2007 at 08:34 AM. Reason: Ex-partner didn't want his named mentioned on the forum. |
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05-24-2007, 09:50 AM
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05-24-2007, 10:19 AM
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| I also think a degree is meaningless in many cases, and I am soon to have a second under my belt. For me the most important thing was learning from someone competent in my field. It wouldn't have mattered which environment that learning took place in. I also happen to be in a particular field where no one cares if you have a degree or not - they just care if you are good. There are certain professions where degrees are indispensible, such as being a surgeon. That said, there are other ways to get into healing without going to medical school. There will always be a way, always a back door open to you to do what your passion is in life.
__________________ I love to grow. |
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05-25-2007, 07:31 AM
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If you're intellectually curious, and are a self-starter, autodidactic type, then you certainly don't need a professor telling you how to think. In fact, it kinda freaks me out a bit that there's this assumption in the world that people are thoughtless morons without a sheepskin. I would hope that one is able to reason and live wisely without a degree! College made my brain turn to mush. I made two of my profs uncomfortable because I demanded too much of them, not the other way around. They didn't come through for me. College made me frustrated and depressed, and that's why it stinks for lots and lots of people. |
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05-26-2007, 03:47 AM
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| thanks 4 the reply guys, much appreciated
__________________ http://www.hostmonster.com/track/mattuk/ -The Number 1 Webhost |
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05-26-2007, 03:56 AM
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However, I would like to know what was at fault... Was it the teachers... or your attitude...??? Were you a good student... or a bad one...??? Did you enter College hoping to get something great out of it... or had you decided to prove the system wrong...??? I am not judging you... simply asking... . |
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05-26-2007, 04:30 AM
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| This post is not addressed to anyone in particular... College is very much like a gym… You go to a gym to develop your muscles and your cardiovascular capacities… it has a great many machines and contraptions designed for that purpose… However, if you go to the gym… and simply sit on those machines without putting in the effort… they will do didily squat for you… you will be wasting your time and taking the place of someone who could put those apparatus to good use… Same with College… if you expect the teacher or the system to do the work for your… all that you will achieve is to wear out your pants on the seats… College is a tool… not a pill… you are the one responsible for getting something out of it… not the other way around… If you come out of College just as dumb as you were when you came in… it’s your fault… not the College’s… . |
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05-26-2007, 06:02 AM
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| Well Shamou, but you can get very fit even without going to gym. Maybe if you run around a bit, do push ups and situps and handstands and maybe throw a dumbbell or kettlebell, you get as fit as the one who goes to gym. And also you get a lot cardio training, and all this in fresh air.  |
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05-26-2007, 06:21 AM
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| To be successful with a business, you need to create value - something that helps people or fills a void that people will exchange money for (in other words, a compelling product). There are many ways to create value. For instance: there is a difference in skill necessary between providing ice cream to people, and providing custom designed circuit boards, or personal development articles. The harder it is for people to replicate the creation of value that you perform, and the more value you provide, the more successful your business will be. Some types of products require a special set of skills (like custom designed circuit boards), and this set of skills might best be gained in the class room (i.e. getting a degree in electrical engineering). However, other sets of skills may be best gained through other avenues. For instance, Steve has read hundreds of personal development books, and has written numerous articles on personal development. He is an expert in this field not because he went to college for it, but because he built up his knowledge through years of effort. Or you may not need too special of skills for the particular type of value that you want to provide. It all depends on what kind of business you want to start. |
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05-26-2007, 02:17 PM
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05-26-2007, 03:41 PM
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No gym = average or mediocre? I've seen quite a few people getting fit just by doing hard physical work, maybe they were mediocre compared to Arnie but should every person want to take over the world? Getting a little off topic here, have to steer it back... I don't think Uni/College necessarily sucks, but with training tools, you have to use it wisely and consciously. Maybe 5% of all the Uni students really want to go and develop themselves and learn from professors etc, many(if not most) go there to either just get a degree, thinking this automatically gives them a high paying job or to get an experience(sex, drugs and rock&roll). Uni is usually not a cheap thing so if you don't really know what you're doing, you might end up with a whole lot of debt. With way less money you could do some other things like travel the world(is it only me or is it becoming kind of a cliche?) - and also yourself - and I wouldn't say that it's any easier - there are no people around you pushing you to learn and do assignments and stuff - it must come from yourself. And afterwards, maybe you have a better ide of who you are and what do you want to do - maybe go to a University... |
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05-26-2007, 04:04 PM
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 My take on degrees is that they are primarily designed to train people to work for someone else. When I was in college the emphasis was on getting this or that degree so that "your employer" this "your employer that". There was very little or non-existent emphasis on "get your degree to build a New Google". While a degree is NOT required to be financially successful, an intelligent, non-degreed person can experience success. Obviously, if you want to become a doctor, lawyer, engineer, teacher, nurse, etc., you will need that degree. Most degreed people are working for someone else. So, if your goal is to work for someone else, a degree is VITAL to your financial security. No wonder so many people lie on their resumes. On the other hand, if your goal is to work for yourself and run your own business, you can become totally self-taught. Vast knowledge is readily available on the Internet, books, articles, etc. The old cliche applies: The more you read, the more you will learn. If you allow it, lack of a college degree can cause low self-esteem and affect self-confidence. Don't let that happen to you. A degree is a piece of paper that states that you've done your assigned homework, tasks, sat your rear end in what would seem like endless classes, paid high college tuition and fees, put in the hours, exercised your brain and did research. It also shows that you've developed your brain beyond basic thinking skills. A degree does not imply honesty, integrity, common-sense, diligence, personality, ambition, enhanced self-motivation, etc. For example, many ENRON executives who had degrees are now sitting in jail. There are MD's sitting in jail. If you want to do brain surgery, I suggest you get a degree. Your patients would be most grateful to you. You do not need a college degree if you want to earn money online with affiliate programs, Adsense, ebooks, etc. In fact it's totally feasible and conceivable that a non-degreed person can make more money than doctors do... YOU and only YOU decide how not having a degree affects you. If you want to be an employee or work for some big company then by all means get your degree at any cost, couple it with work experience and eventually you will "land" that much sought-after job. If you want to be independent, work for yourself and run your own show, focus more on gaining knowledge,improving your marketing, sales and business sense skills and run with it. There are plenty of millionaires in the world who don't have more than High School diplomas. Some don't even have that. Live long and prosper with or without a college degree. If everything else fails, you can always get by with a B.S. Degree.  And if you MUSt have a job, here is a list of jobs that pay very well and do not require a college degree:10-high-paying-jobs--no-degree-required
__________________ Exciting Articles: http://blogtelecast.com Going to the Movies? http://findflick.com Time Waster Videos: http://videowize.com Last edited by videobroker : 05-26-2007 at 04:24 PM. |
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05-26-2007, 04:37 PM
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| Is it real that you can be an air traffic controller without degree? I know that I could study it in a college(Tartu Aviation College) but I don't know if they give a degree or diploma or whatever(I know though that they do have physic classes in another university[where I used to go...]). Actually I saw an advertisement in a website where some company searched for air traffic controllers, and the schooling didn't last a year(I could be way off)(TAC lasts 4 years if I'm not mistaken). I actually even thought about going to study to become an air traffic controller because it looks to be a rather cool job but I wasn't sure I really wanted to do that. Then again I wasn't sure I wanted to do computer science either...  PS: 5. Nuclear Power Reactor Operator -- $66,900 made me chuckle...  Last edited by Erki : 05-26-2007 at 04:42 PM. |
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05-26-2007, 05:03 PM
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| As someone who has been to university and has a degree, I think many uni students delude themselves into believing that a degree guarantees success later in life. The truth is, in many professions once you are in the front door no one cares about your degree. Degrees mean different things to different people. For some it is just a bit of paper they get after 3 years of partying, socialising and the occasional bit of study. For others, it is the culmination of 3 years of hard work. The latter are the ones who will more than likely go on to success. My advice: don't focus so much on the university degree, rather focus on the things you mention such as discipline and purpose. Peter
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