Self-help

Degrees or Good Grades do not Define Success

Whatever is written in the heading above is very apt. Truly, I mean it. If you are stressed owing to your poor academic performance, I would recommend you to read it till the end. If you couldn’t perform well in college, don’t worry. If you couldn’t obtain good grades, don’t take on. Let me tell you why.

There are 7.594 billion people in the world. Each person is different from the rest of the entire humanity on the basis of god-gifted qualities. What you need to do is; explore your potential. Explore your uniqueness. Explore yourself, your qualities, your skills, and your abilities. Your future doesn’t rely on the piece of paper that you get after the completion of your academic studies.

Success does not depend on the Degree

Now, you might be thinking that if degrees do not matter, then why do we acquire knowledge in the first place? Why do we go to school then? What is the purpose of getting degrees?

First of all, a degree is merely a receipt of your college expenses. However, knowledge gives you power. It gives you and your life a direction. It shows you the path and purpose. It helps you in self-exploration. Without knowledge, one cannot realize one’s worth.

But, the point I want to make here is, that your degrees do not show your knowledge. To say that one has acquired good grades, so one will be very successful in the future is a mere fallacy.

Bill Gates & Mark Zuckerberg are College Dropouts

You might know Bill Gates. He is a University dropout. Have you ever wondered what made him so successful, as he never had any conventional degree? He followed his passion and aptitude, thus,  he became a business tycoon.

Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, is also a Harvard University dropout. Today, both are among the most successful, influential, and well-off people in the world.

On the other hand, a large number of graduates and post-graduates from world-renowned universities are serving as employees under these two dropouts.

Here is what usually happens with most talented students in most cases. They work hard throughout their entire academic career. On the basis of hard work, they always obtain good grades. Then they struggle for jobs.

Eventually, they end up being an employee and working under someone on an average monthly remuneration. On the other hand, their employer might be a college dropout.

Modern Era has altered the Means of Success

In contemporary times, there are many online freelance services providers such as Fiverr, Upwork, etc. Thousands and thousands of people are earning thousands and thousands of dollars on a monthly basis just on the basis of their skills.

So, what has their college degree or good grades to do with the skills that they are utilizing for earning a handsome amount every month?

The world is fast changing. Life trends are changing. If ever in the past your grades mattered anywhere, that was the case in the past. Today, you must focus on skill development and work experience.

Only one skill can help you become a really successful person. If you are born with an aptitude for writing, sharpen this skill and sell it in the market by writing for big companies. If you love painting, become a painter. If you love singing, you can become a singer.

Likewise, there are thousands of computer programs and software skills. Computer programs and software like Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, WordPress, etc. can make you a real success.

Great Minds do not follow the Set Trends

I would like to tell you what great minds of the world think. The founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah was once offered a job worth Rs.1500 per month in the early 1900s. That was the time when 1500 rupees was a huge amount. But, he turned it down saying that he would rather like to earn the same amount daily (Ref. ch# 24, Trek to Pakistan).

I do not mean to disregard academic knowledge and degrees. If you are spending your precious time on something, put your heart and soul into it.

Don’t start doing anything you do not like in the first place. But, if you have started it, then do it perfectly. This is how your time should be spent.

Moreover, learn something daily, and grow daily. But even after giving your best shot, if you still cannot make it; don’t worry, learn from your failure. Learn more; grow more. Life never stops, so never stop struggling.

About the author

Aakif

A versatile human being with a passion for reading and writing - always striving for growth, living in the moment but trying to keep pace with the evolving world.

2 Comments

Leave a Comment